the role and development of lawas as a traditional literary work in preservingsamawa local wisdoms

This paper highlights the role and development of lawas as a traditional literary work and itspreservation toward other local wisdom in samawa. this study was a descriptive-qualitative researchwhere the author was attempted to use the field research in the process of collecting the data. it ispurposively that the participant on the interview was chosen based on the capability of the samples inapprehend lawas and acknowledged lawas whether as a traditional literary work or as a local wisdomthat renowned to be the preserver of the other local wisdom in samawa island. the result of this studyshowed that lawas was primarily become the foundation of the existence of many local wisdoms insamawa island, such as in mataq rame which is includes balawas, ngumang, sakeco, gandang, badede,batutir, pangantan (marriage procession), and many kinds of procession related to local parades insamawa. as a traditional literary work, lawas independently become an expression medium for thesociety in the form of literary works and the sacred parade that is perpetuated from generation togeneration. it is renowned that the creation of lawas is based on the three foundation of life that wasbelieved by the community and apply them in the real life. those three foundations are acknowledging asraboat aji lako nene, raboat aji inak bapak, and raboat aji lako guru.