SEMIOTICS

An Analysis of Connotation and Denotation Meaning in a

Sign/Symbol in Tridatu Bracelet

By:

Name : I Putu Fendy Cahya Kusuma Brian

NIM : 1412021022

Class : 6A

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

GANESHA UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION

2017
 Tridatu Bracelet

A sign is any motion, gesture, image, sound, pattern, or event that conveys meaning.
The general science of signs is called Semiotics. Signs take the form of words, images, sounds,
odors, flavors, acts or objects, but such things have no intrinsic meaning and become signs only
when we invest them with meaning. Anything can be a sign as long as someone interprets it as
'signifying' something - referring to or standing for something other than itself. We interpret
things as signs largely unconsciously by relating them to familiar systems of conventions. It is
this meaningful use of signs which is at the heart of the concerns of semiotics.

In a sign or symbol, a thing will have two meaning there are denotation and connotation
meaning. Connotation and denotation are often described in terms of levels of representation
or levels of meaning. Denotation means the most basic or literal meaning of a sign. While
Connotation means the secondary, cultural meanings of signs, or "signifying signs," signs that
are used as signifiers for a secondary meaning. And for now, in this paper it will analyze the
denotation and connotation meaning of a sign in Bali. As we know, in Bali there are a lot of
signs or symbols. In this paper, the writer will analyze the denotation and connotation meaning
of Tridatu bracelet in Bali.

Start from the denotation meaning, Tridatu bracelet just only an accessory for the
human in the form of bracelet, which made of yarn, that has 3 colors on it. It is a bracelet
combination from 3 colors of yarn, those are red, white and black. It is combined into one, and
it is braided into one. For the name of its, the denotation meaning of tridatu means tri or three,
in which that bracelet has three kinds of colors on it. Therefore, the denotation meaning of
tridatu bracelet are it only a human accessory, which made of yarn that has three colors (red,
white and black).
 On the other side, Tridatu bracelet also has a connotation meaning because in Bali,
Tridatu bracelet is a symbol or sign. As we know Tridatu bracelet is made of three yarn colored
red, black and white. Tridatu Bracelet is not Talisman but it is a symbol of the Gods of Trimurti
(Red symbol is the representation of Lord Brahma, Black symbol is representation of Lord
Vishnu and White is the symbol of Lord Shiva). Tridatu is a symbol of God Hyang Widhi and
his manifestations as the Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Usually it made by
sulinggih at Pura Dalem Ped, Nusa Penida for the pemedek who tangkil to that temple.

Beside that, it is also the symbol of Tri Kona (Birth, Life and Death). By using tridatu
bracelet we are expected to always remember the greatness of God as the creator, caretaker and
fuser. Yarn of Tridatu is used as a symbol to distinguish between a devout society with a
neglectful/ignorant people, and in line with Balinese Hindu identity. Therefore, the meaning of
the tridatu yarn is an identity that is not replaced by anything because it is always protected by
the power of God Hyang Widhi.

Etymologically, Tridatu comes from the word tri which means three, and datu which
means king, so it means three kings. The three kings here are the three major Gods in Hinduism.
The three gods referred to Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva. In religious literature,
describes that God Brahma with holy script Ang, has 9 urip with magic Goddess Saraswati,
and symbolized with red color. Lord Vishnu with the holy script Ung, has 4 urip with the
magic of Dewi Sri, symbolized by black color. And Lord Shiva with the sacred script Yang,
having 8 urip with the goddess Durga, symbolized by white color. These three characters are
Ang, Ung, Mang when put together will become AUM characters that when it is spoken it will
become OM. The OM pranawa script is a sacred Hindu scripture and has an extraordinary
magical value as a symbol of God of Ida Sanghyang Widi Wasa.

In conclusion, those are the analysis of denotation and connotation meaning of a sign
or symbol in Bali (especially it analyzes the tridatu bracelet in Bali). Tridatu bracelet is not
only a regular bracelet. In Bali, tridatu bracelet has a connotation meaning in which it is the
representation of God.
 REFERENCES

http://majalahhinduraditya.blogspot.co.id/2012/11/tri-datu-jalinan-benang-penuh-misteri.html

http://www.mantrahindu.com/benang-tri-datu/

https://paduarsana.com/2012/06/14/makna-gelang-tridatu/

http://www.akriko.com/2015/08/makna-gelang-tridatu-bagi-hindu-bali.html