The Ritual of Upah-Upah as a Determinant of the Indoor Spatial Setting of a Traditional Malay House in Rokan Hulu, Riau, Indonesia

Human migration continues if life occurs by bringing the culture that is cognitively inherent in the community from its place of origin. Upah-upah is part of the culture of the Rokan community in the form of rituals that reflect misfortune and grace to restore conditions and enthusiasm (mental strengthening). This paper looks at how the behavior and culture inhabiting people who move or migrate affect the spatial setting in the new location of life. The activities of Upah-upah, whether the actors, the time of implementation, and the space of performance, become cognition in the movement. This study used a semiotics-based method as a research approach. Pierce's trichotomy analyses how an object brought from the origin of migration affects the existence of a new space. The reality of icons, indexes, and symbols that characterize the ritual of Upah-upah is the basis for seeing the setting of the space. In the end, it can be concluded that people's knowledge of their traditional home space, Ruang Topi (side room), Ruang Tonga (centre room), and Dapuo (kitchen) are brought into modern spaces such as living room, family room, and kitchen, which are explained through the rituals of Upah-upah. Culture becomes everlasting when practiced as part of life; memories of it migrate when people move. The community knows their ritual procession space. This confirms that a culture brought by people who migrate determines the spatial setting in their lives in a new place.