Hiou, Soja dan Tolugbalanga: Narasi Foto Penampilan Elitis pada Busana Tradisional Simalungun

Abstract

This study aims to describe and understand the photo narrative of the elitist appearance inherent in Simalungun traditional clothing. The problem of the study focused on the origin and dynamics of clothing which was adapted as traditional clothing. The theoretical reference was adapted from Kees van Dijk and Jean Gelman Taylor that clothing became an appearance that presenting differences. The study was conducted qualitatively with an interpretive approach to 11 photos of colonial archives, selected from 36 photos of elitist appearance. State of the arts was determined based on an anthropological perspective, namely clothing as a social and cultural skin. The finding of this study was that the colonial photo archive was a reference to traditional fashion formulations that reflected elitist appearance. Simalungun traditional clothing is a product of adaptation and commodification from the elements of modernity and locality. Novelty of this study states that traditional clothing is an attribute of multiculturalism to guarantee the diversity of the nation. The contribution of this study confirms the theoretical paradigm used.