Adek Cerah Kurnia Azis, Tri Marhaeni Pudji Astuti, Syakir, Eko Haryanto
This dissertation examines Gorga Batak Toba as material culture that mediates intergenerational transmission of symbolic meaning and character formation in Samosir, Indonesia. Moving beyond decorative interpretations, it treats Gorga as a pedagogical artifact through which moral orientations are learned, remembered, and contested in everyday life in families, workshops, and schools. Grounded in cultural materialism and the anthropology of education, the study links motifs, color, and spatial placement to social ethics and cosmological relations, while tracing how tourism, market demand, and shifts in production techniques reshape interpretive authority. Findings show that key motifs function as moral scripts tied to prosperity, leadership, protection, and illumination, and that the tri-color scheme reinforces ideals of courage, steadfastness, and moral purity. The dissertation argues that safeguarding should prioritize knowledge transmission through intergenerational practice, community documentation, and culturally grounded arts education, so that Gorga remains a living medium of value, not only a visual brand. © 2026 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Arts Education Study Program, Faculty of Language and Arts, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Central Java, Semarang City, Indonesia
