IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/rfa/journl/v10y2022i1p57-62.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cupping: A Healing Method in West Sumatra (Indonesia) A Semiotic Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Alexander Stark

Abstract

This article investigates cupping a widespread traditional healing method in West Sumatra. However, the way cupping is used in some areas of the Malay-speaking region is unique in the sense that it uses buffalo horns during the cupping process. The author argues that for the matrilineal society of the Minangkabau in West Sumatra, the buffalo horn has a special connotation as it is crucial in many elements of their culture. By considering a semiotic research approach, the author wants to offer a new perspective on the Minangkabau and their culture. By doing so, the author intends to participate in the discussion about signs and symbols in the field of Minangkabau studies. In qualitative research that comprised fieldwork, traditional healers were observed and interviewed. The peculiar cupping technique was analysed, and a semiotic perspective seemed most fitting. It was detected that the usage of horns contains a specific meaning for the Minangkabau culture.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexander Stark, 2022. "Cupping: A Healing Method in West Sumatra (Indonesia) A Semiotic Perspective," International Journal of Social Science Studies, Redfame publishing, vol. 10(1), pages 57-62, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:rfa:journl:v:10:y:2022:i:1:p:57-62
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://redfame.com/journal/index.php/ijsss/article/download/5417/5643
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://redfame.com/journal/index.php/ijsss/article/view/5417
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:rfa:journl:v:10:y:2022:i:1:p:57-62. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Redfame publishing (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cepflch.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.