Traditional Metaphors of Indonesian Women’s Beauty

Abstract

The aim of this article is to elaborate on the problem of traditional metaphors used to describe the beauty of Indonesian women. The traditional metaphors used to describe the beauty of Indonesian women originate from nature and show specific aspects of beauty, both physically and non-physically. Also, under the modern Western-dominated global beauty discourse and concepts, traditional forms and concepts of beauty are re-elevated and given new value to enrich global knowledge and culture. Through the ethno-semiotic method, the study shows that the traditional forms and concepts of beauty regarding Indonesian women cannot be separated from natural occurrences. Description based on natural objects and phenomena is not just a matter of metaphorical language as a rhetorical means to describe beauty but forms a significant relationship with the natural and cultural characteristics of body beauty. The union of the body and nature creates a powerful energy that positions women as subjects of nature, culture, and social life. This finding allowed for the development of a new discipline – the ecology of beauty.