Transformation within the Dawan and Mambae Communities as a Form of Traditional Communication

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-613-0_39How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Hamulak oral poetry; Intangible cultural heritage; Traditional communication; Cultural identity

Abstract

Hamulak oral poetry is an intangible cultural heritage of the Dawan and Mambae communities in Timor-Leste, functioning as a traditional medium for conveying spiritual, social, and customary messages. This study describes the structure and delivery patterns of Hamulak, analyzes factors influencing changes in its form and function, and examines its relevance in contemporary society. Using a qualitative descriptive-analytical approach, data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation with traditional speakers and community members in South Central Timor, Aileu, and Manufahi. Analysis employed structuralist and social context methods. Results indicate that Hamulak has a distinctive poetic structure marked by symbolic diction, cosmological metaphors, repetition, parallelism, rhythm, and regular narrative structure. Its delivery is performative and tied to speaker authority and ritual context. While social change, formal education, religious institutions, and communication technology have transformed its practice, Hamulak remains relevant as a cultural identity symbol and adaptive traditional communication.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Alexandra de Araújo Tilman
AU  - Nurhayati
AU  - Andi Akhmar
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/04
TI  - Transformation within the Dawan and Mambae Communities as a Form of Traditional Communication
BT  - Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Linguistics and Cultural Studies (ICLC-6 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 500
EP  - 507
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-613-0_39
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-613-0_39
ID  - deAraújoTilman2026
ER  -