Preserving of Information Value in Oral Tradition of Minangkabau society, West Sumatera, Indonesia

Minangkabau society is very well known of their oral tradition named kaba babarito that expresses a message from one to others orally. Oral tradition of Minangkabau is very strong in many aspects of life, for example the tradition of maota di lapau (chatting on lapau), which is one way for men in Minangkabau to communicate and socialize. All forms of oral tradition in Minangkabau society contains of various information values such as, religion valuable information, information of historical value, customs and public practices information, information that has the values of local wisdom in the daily life of the community, as well as genealogical information or descendant of a family in the community. All of the information are received, developed, and derived to future generations through a wide variety of oral tradition, known by the Minangkabau society. These include various forms of oral tradition in a traditional ceremony which tend to be formal, oral traditions relating to the association in people's daily life, oral tradition of mantra, and the oral tradition in the form of performing arts. However, the issues raise at this time, oral tradition has begun to be abandoned and forgotten by the Minangkabau society. In addition due to the metanarrative discourse that create the public opinion such local culture is less meaningful,rapid information and communication technology development and the lack of any transfer in oral tradition affect the existence of oral tradition in Minangkabau society. Documentation and information centers, such as libraries, archives institution, as well as museum has a moral responsibility to identify, collect, preserve and actualize the oral tradition, particularly the information contained in the oral tradition. Preservation of knowledge in oral tradition is one step into the collective responsibility of government and society in preservation, storage, and the actualization of the oral tradition