PERTANYAAN TRADISIONAL (RIDDLES) MASYARAKAT MANDAILING DI KABUPATEN PASAMAN BARAT

Abstract

This research examines the structure, categories, and social functions in the traditional questions (riddles) of the community in West Pasaman Regency to find out how the text is shaped and interpreted by the community. This research includes oral literature research using qualitative methods, qualitative research is research based on words. Data collection uses several approaches, namely literature studies, field studies, and in-depth interviews. The informants of this research are three people who are indigenous people of the local community. The data that has been collected is then analyzed using the analysis of theory riddles, with several stages, namely, the classification stage, the discussion stage, and the report preparation stage. The result of this research is that the structure of riddles is divided into two, namely, oppositional riddles and non-oppositional riddles. The categories of riddles found are similarities with humans, similarities with animals, similarities with plants, similarities with inanimate objects, similarities with colors. The social function of the riddles found is to test a person's intelligence and as entertainment. These findings show that riddles are an important part as a form of documenting and preserving oral traditions in West Sumatra.