Voicing the Past, Scripting the Future: Folklore Adaptation in Teacher Education

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the transformation of a South Sumatran folktale into a drama script as a pedagogical model in teacher education. Amidst the challenges of globalization that threaten the survival of oral traditions, higher education plays a critical role in reviving cultural heritage and ensuring its relevance to the younger generations. This study employed a qualitative approach with a case study design. Data collection took place in two stages: a focus group discussion (FGD) with cultural stakeholders to obtain the cultural mandate, and a comparative textual analysis of the folktale Putri Berambut Putih or White-Haired Princess (hypogram) and a drama script written by student teachers in the Indonesian Language and Literature Education Study Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Sriwijaya. Data analysis used an intertextual framework that combines Riffaterre's theories (expansion and conversion) with Pradotokusumo's (modification and excerption). According to the findings, expansion and modification processes dominate the transformation of drama scripts. Students enrich the plot by incorporating elements of humor and social critique (such as corruption and social media), as well as changing the language and characters to make them more relevant to modern audiences. Conversion is used to adapt the narrative to the technical constraints of theatrical performances. The excerption maintains the original story's conflict structure and moral values. The primary conclusion of this study is that literary transformation in teacher education is more than just a creative writing exercise; it is an active cultural preservation strategy in accordance with the cultural mandate of South Sumatran cultural stakeholders. This process enables prospective teachers to "voicing the past" and "scripting the future" by bridging traditional values into contextual and innovative media.