LANGUAGE, GENDER, AND SYMBOLIC POWER IN THE DIDONG DOAH TRADITION: AN ANTHROPOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF WOMEN'S ROLES IN KARO CULTURE LANGUAGE, GENDER, AND SYMBOLIC POWER IN THE DIDONG DOAH TRADITION: AN ANTHROPOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF WOMEN'S ROLES IN KARO CULTURE

Abstract

This study aims to explore the dynamics of symbolic power and gender

relations within the Karo oral tradition through the lens of Didong Doah

songs, focusing particularly on the performative roles of women as conveyors

of moral and cultural messages. Employing an anthropolinguistic approach,

the research examines how language in Didong Doah serves as a medium for

cultural expression that reflects symbolic domination, gender identity

construction, and social relational patterns. The study was conducted in Kuta

Buluh Village, Karo Regency, utilizing qualitative methods that integrate

participant observation, in-depth interviews, and audio-visual

documentation. Findings reveal that women are not merely cultural

inheritors but active agents in social transformation, utilizing symbolic

language as a tool of narrative power. This study contributes significantly to

the development of gender performativity theory, cultural sociolinguistics,

and the revitalization of local traditions within the framework of women's

empowerment