FALENTINA PERADA SINA Pengarang SEBASTIANUS FERNANDEZ Dosen Pembimbing 1 Marcelinus Akoli Dosen Pembimbing 2 Sebastianus Fernandez Penguji 1 Yosep B. Kroon Ketua Penguji Marcelinus Akoli Penguji 2

Language is a tool to communicate with the human through speech, writing, or symbols. The Symbols we can find are the characters in the cultures. In this research, the researcher analyzed the symbol and the meaning of each symbol of the Bailake ceremony. The aims of this research are 1) To find out the procedures for carrying out Bailake, a traditional death ceremony in Nisa Nulan village, Adonara island, East Flores regency. 2) To find out the symbolic meanings of objects and expressions involved in Bailake, a traditional death ceremony in Nisa Nulan village, Adonara island, East Flores regency. 3) To find out the symbolic meanings of expression involved in Bailake, a traditional death ceremony in Nisa Nulan village, Adonara island, East Flores regency. The method used in this research is the descriptive qualitative method. Data collection techniques are observation, interviews, picture-taking, and video recording. The results of this study indicate that the procedures in the Bailake ceremony have several rituals, namely, the first ohon-hebo ritual (symbolizing bathing and oiling). This ritual is believed to be able to clean the corpse before being taken to lewo mureng (final resting place) because, according to the beliefs of the Adonara community, there is new life after death. The second ritual is towe loge (giving traditional clothes). In this ritual, it is believed the traditional clothes given to the corpse can be used as a change of clothes after leaving and offered to the family who participated in the Bailake ceremony. The third is the borang ritual (giving animals), a symbol of respect and gratitude to the na'a ama from the hang-anang because they have carried out the Bailake ceremony. The objects in the Bailake ceremony include a machete, a grater, and a tray containing a mirror, powder, comb, towel, sandal, bowl, cup, betel nuts, cigarettes, goats, pigs, traditional clothes, bananas, coconut and corn. These objects are symbols that, during life, the corpse uses these objects to fulfil the necessities of life. Keywords: Death Custom, Bailake Tradition