Vol. 1 No. 4 (2026): Awang Batil: A Medium for The Sustainability of Malay oral Tradition

Authors: Madiawati Mamat@Mustaffa and Nurhanis Sahiddan

Synopsis: The book Awang Batil: Wahana Kelestarian Tradisi Lisan is the result of research and documentation focusing on one of the Malay oral literary heritages that still survives in the state of Perlis, namely the Awang Batil tradition. This tradition not only functions as folk entertainment but also serves as a medium for conveying wisdom, moral values, education, and the worldview of the Malay community. Based on the research project Sastera Sebagai Wadah Kebijaksanaan Masyarakat Melayu (UMG004K-2024), this book compiles fieldwork results, performance observations, interviews, story transcriptions, and content analysis involving the Awang Batil storyteller, Mr. Romli Mahmud. The discussion in this book covers his background and contributions as an inheritor of the tradition, speech arts in performance, the use of musical instruments, aesthetic elements, as well as the wisdom contained within the Awang Batil stories. In addition to discussing performance aspects and cultural values, this book also includes transcriptions of eleven stories recorded from various fieldwork sources. This publication represents an important effort in documenting an intangible cultural heritage that is increasingly threatened by changing times. Through an academic approach and cultural preservation, this book is hoped to serve as a significant reference source in strengthening the understanding, conservation, and sustainability of the Malay oral tradition for future generations.

Keywords: Awang Batil; Malay oral tradition; oral literature; cultural heritage; Malay wisdom.

Published Online: 30 August 2026

ISBN: To be processed

Chapters:

Bab 1: Tradisi Lisan Awang Batil: Sejarah, Warisan dan Persembahan

Awang Batil Oral Tradition: History, Heritage and Performance

Bab 2: Romli Mahmud: Awang Batil Terakhir
Romli Mahmud: The Last Awang Batil

Bab 3: Pengucapan Beradab dalam Tradisi Lisan Awang Batil
Courteous Speech in the Awang Batil Oral Tradition

Bab 4: Estetika Persembahan dan Instrumen Muzik Awang Batil
Performance Aesthetics and Musical Instruments in Awang Batil

Bab 5: Cerita Awang Batil: Analisis Rasa dan Kebijaksanaan Melayu
Awang Batil Stories: An Analysis of Emotion and Malay Wisdom

Bab 6: Transkripsi Cerita-Cerita Awang Batil
Transcriptions of Awang Batil’s Stories