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Jakarta - BRIN PR. Oral stories in Alor serve more than just entertainment. In many ways, these stories become a tool to convey social values and strengthen cultural identity.

This was conveyed by Sastri Sunarti, Head of BRIN's Research Centre for Manuscripts, Literature and Oral Tradition (PR MLTL) when presenting her research on etiology stories as a preservation of knowledge and oral history in ethnic groups in Alor, East Nusa Tenggara, at an international conference on language and literature preservation, at BRIN Gatot Subroto, Jakarta, Thursday (20/2).

He gave an interesting example of the origin story of the Abui tribe in Takpala, which states that their ancestors came from the sky. Similar story patterns between tribes in the region can also be found in many cultures in Eastern Indonesia.

“These stories also provide legitimacy for tribes in Alor to gain rights to their lands and farms. In customary traditions, these oral stories clarify relationships between tribes and determine who has the right to become a tribal chief or manage certain areas,” explained Sastri.

Her research, Sastri said, is a medium to preserve knowledge related to tribal migration, environmental changes, and even marriage procedures that are respected in custom. For example, stories from Pura Island tell of tribes moving from mountainous areas to more accessible beaches. This reflects the practical needs of the community in dealing with natural challenges.

Besides stories, knowledge is also preserved in the form of traditional rituals and dances. Like the Lego-Lego dance, which is often performed in traditional ceremonies. The purpose is as a way to commemorate ancestral history and teach values to the younger generation.

“In essence, this research is expected to provide a deeper insight into how Alor people utilise oral stories, to preserve knowledge and strengthen their cultural ties,” he continued.

Meanwhile, MLTL BRIN PR Researcher, Mu'jizah, explained her research on religious tolerance in the Majapahit era, namely on Tripaksa in three important manuscripts from East Java. One thing that she emphasised was that Majapahit was a great kingdom that had a vast territory, with three main constructions that supported its glory. One of the main factors was religious tolerance.

“Based on the three main texts, namely Sutasoma, Pararaton, and Negarakertagama, we can see how religious tolerance became an important foundation in Majapahit's glory,” he explained.

Furthermore, Majapahit had an extensive system of power, not only in the archipelago but also established relations with kingdoms in Asia through the concept of Mitreka Satata. This concept describes friendly relations with neighbouring kingdoms in Southeast Asia, including China, Cambodia, Siam, Burma and Melaka.