The Myth Of The Staircase and The Construction of Collective Memory: A Symbolic Study At The Royal Cemetery Of Imogiri, Bantul, D.I. Yogyakarta

Abstract

This article examines the myth of the staircase at the Royal Cemetery of Imogiri as a sign system that constructs and sustains the collective memory of the Javanese community. Prior scholarship has predominantly framed Imogiri within the discourse of cultural heritage preservation or sacred architecture, leaving its semiotic dimension as an active medium of collective memory construction analytically underexplored. By integrating Roland Barthes's semiological theory of myth, Pierre Nora's concept of lieux de mémoire, and Clifford Geertz's thick description, this study argues that the staircase myth at Imogiri operates as a multilayered semiotic system that does not merely represent belief but actively reformats collective memory across generations. The research employs a qualitative approach with interpretive ethnographic methods, encompassing participant observation, in-depth interviews with site guardians (juru kunci), pilgrims, and traditional figures, and analysis of historical documents. Findings reveal that three interlocking mythic narratives—the uncountable stairs, the symbolic burial of the traitor Tumenggung Endranata within the staircase, and the 409 steps representing the human gestation cycle—constitute a mutually reinforcing sign system. These narratives function synergistically to legitimize cosmological hierarchy, perpetuate norms of cultural loyalty, and integrate pilgrims into a transhistorical community of memory. The study's principal contribution is the proposition of a "myth as collective memory technology" analytical framework applicable to the study of sacred sites across Southeast Asia.