<![CDATA[The practice of merariq kodeq, as a distortion of the traditional merariq customary system, remains deeply rooted among the Sasak community in Central Lombok Regency. This practice has the potential to contribute to school dropout, poor reproductive health, structural poverty, and maternal and child mortality. These consequences need to be addressed through collective awareness in order to foster a high-quality future generation. Efforts are therefore needed to revitalise the merariq customary system by aligning it with the legal minimum age for marriage and children's rights to protection, with the aim of preventing cases of merariq kodeq. This study employed a descriptive qualitative research design to examine the revitalisation of merariq culture in addressing the cultural deviation of merariq kodeq among the Sasak community as a means of preventing early marriage in Central Lombok Regency. The conceptual framework of the study was based on Wallace's (1956) theory of Revitalisation Movements. Data were collected using purposive and snowball sampling through interviews, observations, and documentation. Data analysis and conclusion drawing employed the Interactive Model developed by Miles and Huberman. The revitalisation of the merariq customary system has not yet been fully optimised or effective in establishing a new habitus among the Sasak community in Central Lombok Regency to prevent the occurrence of merariq kodeq. The limited success of efforts to eliminate merariq kodeq can be attributed to several factors: (1) formal regulations and awig-awig are not yet fully regarded as living law, while the enforcement of sanctions is often subject to compromise; (2) formal regulations and awig-awig face difficulties in overcoming the deeply rooted cultural doctrines surrounding merariq kodeq; (3) legal loopholes are exploited to facilitate unregistered marriages; (4) local customary institutions remain relatively passive; and (5) the perception that merariq kodeq provides an immediate means of reducing the economic burden on families.]]>
