Tesis ini merupakan penelitian mengenai tradisi lisan Gaok di Majalengka. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengungkapkan fungsi dan makna Gaok bagi kehidupan masyarakat Kulur Majalengka serta proses pemertahanan Gaok yang dilakukan dalang Rukmin. Sumber data diperoleh dari data lapangan dan studi pustaka. Penelitian menggunakan beberapa konsep dan teori pertunjukan tradisi lisan, kelisanan, teori struktural Propp dan pengelolaan tradisi lisan. Metode penelitian menggunakan metode etnografi (salah satu pendekatan Kajian Tradisi Lisan). Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa Gaok memiliki makna dan fungsi bagi masyarakat Kulur Majalengka. Fungsi Gaok bagi masyarakat Kulur meliputi: fungsi hiburan, media doa, dan fungsi penjaga nilai-nilai pendidikan. Makna Gaok meliputi: Representasi nilai-nilai spiritualitas, Representasi nilai perempuan, representasi tradisi riungan dan pesta makanan, representasi norma hukum, dan representasi sejarah Majalengka. Sedangkan upaya pemertahanan dilakukan oleh dalang melalui kreativitas membuat Giok kombinasi, mengelola sanggar, dan menyimpan wawacan. Namun demikian upaya tersebut berjalan kurang optimal karena keterbatasan kemampuan dan dana yang dimiliki Rukmin serta kurangnya dukungan dari pihak eksternal yakni pemerintah dan masyarakat. Akibatnya proses transmisi dan pewarisan melalui pengajaran terhadap generasi muda tidak berjalan.

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This thesis indicated a research about Gaok 's oral tradition in Majalengka. The research aimed to disclose a function and Gaok's meaning for society life of Kulur, Majalengka. As well as the survival process of Gaok which was done by "dalang" (the master) Rukmin. Data sources was obtained by field study and literary study. This research used various of concepts and the theories of oral tradition performance, orality, Propp structural theory and the management of oral tradition.

The research method used ethnography method (one of the approaches of Oral Tradition Study). The research result showed that Gaok had meaning and function for Kulur society. The function were: entertainment,praying media, as well as for keeping education values. The meaning of Gaok were: Representatives of spiritual values, Representatives of women values, Representatives of "Riungan" tradition and meal party, Representatives of law values, Representatives of Majalengka's History.

The effort to converse was done by "dalang" Rukmin through the creativity of rrraking combination of Gaok, managing a Sanggar (club) and saving wawacan (texts.) However those efforl was not optirnal enough due to the lirnitation of ability and fund which was owned by Rukrnin and lack of support from external sides namely government and society. As a result, transmission process and inheritance through teaching to young generation were not carried out.