A STUDY ON THE RENGKUH GESTURE WITHIN SUNDA ETHNIC GROUP AS AN ALLEGORIC CULTURE IN VISUAL COMMUNICATION PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

The way people in society behave towards guests is part of a cultural system formed by a set of cultural norms passed on from one generation to the next generation. In many cultures, people use gestures in their social interactions. Sundanese people, for instance, gesticulate when they interact with guests or people whom they respect by lowering their torso and head (known as ‘rengkuh’ in Sundanese terms). This personal attitude not only reflects their personality when dealing with guests but also reflects the culture of their community. Rengkuh is an unwritten communal rule, an art of a person’s body language from a natural standing posture to a bowing position. In terms of visual, there are differences in body position before and after it is done. These differences certainly have their meanings. Concerning the form-meaning, this research was conducted within the scope of visual communication by using direct and indirect observation methods, as well as a semiotic approach.
Keywords: Rengkuh, Allegorical, Visual Communication