Interpretasi Cerita Rakyat Saromani Masyarakat Biak Papua dalam Karya Komposisi Musik

Feby Marina Inggamer (Institut Seni Budaya Indonesia Tanah Papua)
Septina Rosalina Layan (Institut Seni Budaya Indonesia Tanah Papua)
Markus Rumbino (Institut Seni Budaya Indonesia Tanah Papua)
Marti Fauziah Ariastuti (Universitas Indonesia)

Pacific Performing Arts Review
Vol. 2 No. 1 (2026):

This study aimed to interpret the Saromani folklore of the Biak community into a musical composition as a form of transforming local cultural values into the medium of sound art. The Saromani folklore represents one of the oral tradition heritages of the Biak community, containing moral, social, and cultural values that remain relevant in contemporary society. This research employed a qualitative research method with a practice-based research approach, encompassing the stages of exploration, interpretation, experimentation, and artistic realization. Data were obtained through literature review, observation, and narrative analysis of the Saromani folklore structure. The findings revealed that narrative elements in the story, such as characters, plot, conflict, atmosphere, and cultural values, could be transformed into musical elements including melody, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, tempo, and timbre. This interpretative process resulted in a musical composition that represented the Saromani narrative journey musically while serving as a medium for artistic expression  and local cultural preservation. Through this artistic creation, the Saromani folklore was not only maintained as an oral tradition heritage but also re-presented in a more contextual and communicative form for contemporary society. This study demonstrated that musical interpretation could serve as a creative approach in cultural revitalization efforts and the development of music works based on local wisdom.