The meaning and symbolism of the gonjong, a structural element of the roof of the traditional West Sumatran house of Rumah Gadang, in the context of semiotics

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to reveal the meaning and symbolism of the structural component of the gonjong roof in the traditional Indonesian house of Rumah Gadang, using a semiotic approach. Gonjong, as a structural component of the roof, forms its expressive curved profile and is the most recognizable feature in the architecture of West Sumatra. This element lends itself to a variety of interpretations at different levels of perception and from different points of view. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that this is the first attempt to study the meaning and symbolism of gonjong Rumah Gadang using a semiotic approach in Russian. The coverage of Indonesian architecture in the Russian scientific community can significantly expand access to knowledge about the architecture and culture of the Indonesian peoples for the Russian-speaking audience. The results of the study showed that the semiotic approach is applicable to architecture, in particular to the architecture of Indonesia, and gonjong has not only a utilitarian function as part of the roof, but also is a means of communication with certain meanings and symbols in the architectural system of the Minangkabau people.

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About this article

Publication history

• Received: April 29, 2024.
• Published: June 7, 2024.

Keywords

• структурный компонент крыши «гонджонг»
• традиционный индонезийский дом «Рума Гаданг»
• архитектура Западной Суматры
• народность Минангкабау
• визуальная семиотика
• structural component of the roof "gonjong"
• traditional Indonesian house "Rumah Gadang"
• architecture of West Sumatra
• Minangkabau people
• visual semiotics

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