THE POTENTIAL OF ULU MANUSCRIPTS IN BENGKULU PROVINCE: A PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ULU WRITING TRADITION AND THE ULU ORAL TRADITION IN BENGKULU CITY

Abstract

This study examines the cultural potential of Ulu manuscripts in Bengkulu Province, with particular emphasis on the relationship between the Ulu writing tradition and the oral tradition in Bengkulu City. Employing codicological, palaeographical, and textual analyses, the research documents manuscripts inscribed on bamboo, bark, and paper, encompassing a wide range of contents, including customary law, prayers, medicinal knowledge, oral poetry, and genealogical narratives. These materials reflect not only the intellectual and cultural richness of the local community but also the dynamic interaction between orality and literacy. The findings indicate that Ulu manuscripts functioned as repositories of knowledge, instruments of ritual and religious practice, and markers of cultural identity. Oral tradition animated and sustained the texts, while the manuscripts preserved and institutionalised oral knowledge, demonstrating a continuous interplay between spoken and written culture. Nevertheless, the preservation of these manuscripts faces significant challenges, including material deterioration, inadequate cataloguing, and limited public awareness. As a preliminary investigation, this study underscores the scholarly importance of Ulu manuscripts within the context of Malay–Islamic heritage and calls for further interdisciplinary research, systematic digitisation, and their integration into broader studies of Islamic civilisation and regional identity.