TRADITIONAL GAMES AS NARRATIVE ELEMENTS IN INDONESIAN ANIMATED SERIES

Abstract

Traditional games represent an important part of Indonesia's intangible cultural heritage, yet their presence in contemporary society has gradually declined due to the increasing dominance of digital entertainment. Animation has emerged as a potential medium for preserving cultural heritage by incorporating traditional cultural practices into visual storytelling. Research on animation has largely highlighted cultural representation, whereas the narrative role of traditional games remains less examined. This research aims to analyze how traditional games function as narrative elements in Indonesian animated series. A qualitative case study approach was employed using qualitative content analysis of three Indonesian animated series: Desa Timun, Doyok Otoy Ali Oncom (D.O.A.), and Entong. Data were collected through repeated visual observation of scenes featuring traditional games and analyzed based on their narrative position, mode of presentation, and level of exposure. The findings reveal three distinct narrative functions. In Desa Timun, traditional games serve as narrative drivers that shape plot progression and character development. In D.O.A., they function as everyday narrative activities that support social interaction and reinforce the realism of daily life. In Entong, traditional games primarily act as cultural markers that strengthen local identity and narrative settings. The analysis shows that traditional games contribute to animated storytelling in diverse ways beyond their role as visual representations of culture.