Transformation of Values of Makassarese Local Culture Based Character Building : From Symbolization to Philosophy

Abstract

This paper describes Buginese-Makassarese cultures based the educational values found in several Makassarese manuscripts in the forms of messages, songs (a kind of traditional poetry), and folklores. The problem statements of the working paper are: what is the concept form of the local culture based the character building found in Makassar manuscripts, what is the model of the transformation of values of the character building in order that it is appropriate with the era development at the moment. Data of the research were a number of Makassarese manuscripts. The research used the qualitative descriptive method by using a number of data collection techniques namely scrutinizing the manuscripts/observing, and interviewing to find out the philosophical symbols of the character building values. The data analysis result indicates that a number of the character building values is generally disclosed by the symbolization having the philosophical meanings. The character building to intertwine the social relationship in the community teacher to become the useful people the value concept of “tau” meaning “human being” with the derived words sipakatau ‘to humanize/to respect one another’, pattau ‘greeting other people’, katauang ‘genitals (of male and female)’. The character building values concerning honesty, cooperation, and motivation to progress are mostly found with the various symbolic manifestations because the character is regarded that it is very important to develop and lead a nation. The character indicator development refers to the philosophy of a number of the objects which is familiar with the socio-cultural life of Buginese-Makassarese community such as a cock (the characters of being tough, time aware, responsible), deer (the characters of being capable and smart), pigeon (the character of loyalty), betel (the character of high motivation like its creeping nature), areca nut (the characters of high ideals and honesty because of its straight stem nature). The transformation model of the character building can be applied by the reconstruction model (development of printed teaching material/multimedia), integration (in the curriculum of learning with various character substance types). The transformation of the local culture based the socio-cultural values is very important to be carried out as one of the solutions of the modernization and globalization consequences, and a social shift in the 21^st century, so that it is still relevant with the era development.

Keywords: Transformation, character, culture, symbolization, philosophy.