KRISTIN DIANTI WELEM Pengarang SEBASTIANUS FERNANDEZ Dosen Pembimbing 1 MARCELINUS YERI FERNANDEZ AKOLI Dosen Pembimbing 2 Sebastianus Fernandez Penguji 1 Marcelinus Yeri Fernandez Akoli Penguji 2 Yunita Reny Bani Bili Ketua Penguji

Katajja is a tradisional tattoo found in Lairuru Village, East Sumba Regency. It has formed as a sign of identification for the users, because it will help them as long as they live in this world and also will help them when they die someday. It has two different types. First, Katajja of Animal’s figure and the second type is the Katajja of Abbreviation of name. Yet, nowadays all the astonishing symbols will die along with the users, because the era has changed and the comprehension of Katajja’s value is fading away for this current generation. Therefore, the aims of this research are to describe: (1) the form of this Katajja as the traditional tattoo from East Sumba in Lairuru Village, (2) the meaning of this Katajja as the traditional tattoo from East Sumba in Lairuru Village, and (3) the function of this Katajja as the traditional tattoo from East Sumba in Lairuru Village. This research used a descriptive qualitative method and the writer collected the data through observation, interviewing, note taking, recording and documentation, from the qualified informants as the main source. She applied the Peirce’s theory of Tricotomy for answering the three main research questions. Furthermore, the research revealed there were four (4) Katajja of Animal’s figure and two (2) Katajja of Abbreviation of name. Each one of the data has its own meaning and shows there are three (3) functions. Keywords: Katajja, Semiotics, Animals’ figure, Abbreviation of name