The Sakbanan tradition is a local religious ritual rich in verbal and non-verbal symbolism, but faces the threat of erosion of meaning due to the gap in intergenerational knowledge transmission. This study aims to analyze the representation of local wisdom in the Sakbanan tradition through the framework of Linguistic Anthropology and formulate a strategy for its preservation. This study took place in Candingasinan Village, Banyuurip District, Purworejo Regency. This study used a qualitative descriptive-analytical approach. The sampling technique used purposive sampling with informant criteria including: (1) traditional leaders/ritual organizers, (2) traditional practitioners with a minimum of 10 years of experience, (3) young people aged 17–30 years, and (4) village officials. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and documentation. Data analysis refers to the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña combined with the Ritual Discourse Analysis framework at four levels: micro-linguistic, meso-performative, macro-symbolic, and meta-pragmatic. The research results reveal that the Sakbanan tradition represents local wisdom in four main dimensions: (1) ancestral mandate and cultural continuity, (2) time symbolism that reflects Islamic-Javanese cosmology, (3) the legend of Sumur Beji as symbolic legitimacy and cultural resistance, and (4) preservation as a means of preserving culture that faces the challenge of cultural lag among the younger generation. These findings emphasize the urgency of a digital documentation-based cultural regeneration strategy and integration into formal education to prevent cultural discontinuity.
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