The <i>tembeq</i> tradition among the Sasak people of Lombok: an endangered oral heritage

Tembeq is a traditional oral poetry form of the Sasak people in Lombok that continues to function in everyday social practice, yet it has received limited academic attention compared to other Sasak oral traditions. The absence of systematic studies addressing its structure, performance, and mechanisms of meaning preservation reveals a significant research gap in the study of Indonesian oral traditions. This study aims to examine the linguistic structure and formulaic patterns of tembeq, analyse the social context and performance conventions shaping its meaning, explain its function as a collective symbol and mechanism of social control, and explore how formulaic structure and social performance sustain meaning across generations. This research employs a qualitative approach grounded in oral tradition studies, oral-formulaic theory, and the ethnography of communication. Data were collected through participatory observation, audio-visual documentation, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions conducted in East Lombok and Central Lombok. The findings show that tembeq is structured in four-line stanzas with a strong semantic relationship between the opening lines and the core message, supported by formulaic features such as parallelism, repetition, flexible rhyme, and rhythmic stability. The most significant finding reveals that the accuracy and continuity of meaning in tembeq depend not on rigid formal rules, but on the integration of formulaic structures, cultural symbolism, and community-based social control. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of oral poetry as a living cultural system and highlights the importance of documenting and revitalising local oral traditions.