Representing Cultural Identity Through The Serawai Language: A Study of Tanjung Menang Village, Indonesia

Abstract

Language functions not only as a means of communication but also as a representational system through which cultural meanings, social relations, and collective identities are produced. This research examined how the Serawai language represented the cultural identity of the community in Tanjung Menang Village, Seginim District, South Bengkulu Regency, Indonesia. Using a descriptive qualitative approach and Stuart Hall’s Theory of Representation, the study explored the meanings associated with Serawai language use in everyday and cultural contexts. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation involving four key informants representing village government, customary leadership, community members, and university students. The findings showed that Serawai functioned in four interrelated ways: as a symbol of cultural identity, a medium for intergenerational cultural transmission, a resource for strengthening social solidarity, and a marker of community membership. Its use in family interactions, customary rituals, village deliberations, social activities, and informal communication enabled speakers to reproduce shared values and a sense of belonging. At the same time, the increasing use of Indonesian, mixed-language practices, modernization, and digital communication created challenges for the continuity of Serawai among younger speakers. The research argued that Serawai identity was not merely inherited but continuously constructed through repeated linguistic practices and negotiated across changing social contexts. Maintaining the active use of Serawai in family and community domains is therefore essential not only for language preservation but also for sustaining local cultural knowledge and social cohesion.