Negotiating the image of local Islam: Wetu telu oral tradition from an imagological perspective

The wetu telu oral tradition, as an expression of local Islam, occupies a contested position in religious discourse, often being portrayed as “customary Islam” through external representations sustained by internal practices. This study examines how wetu telu constructs, affirms, and negotiates its image through oral traditions using an imagological perspective. Employing a qualitative ethnographic approach, data were collected in Bayan through interviews, observations, and documentation, then analyzed through transcription and identification of recurring and meaningful images. The findings indicate that oral traditions not only reproduce the identity of “ancestral Islam” but also construct the image of a “guardian of cosmic and social harmony” by reconciling Islamic law (sharia) and customary practices. These imagemes challenge negative representations and affirm the legitimacy of wetu telu as an Islamic tradition. The study highlights the importance of understanding local Islamic identities through internal narratives rather than relying exclusively on external representations. Furthermore, the dominant image of wetu telu reveals an implicit binary opposition between “traditional-harmonious” and “modern-rigid,” positioning its identity in contrast to waktu lima.