Disaster, nature, and narrative: A comparative study of Acehnese and Ainu oral traditions

Natural disasters, such as earthquakes and tsunamis, significantly impact human existence, particularly in coastal and island environments like Indonesia and Japan. This study examines the roles of oral traditions in these two countries as cultural knowledge that raises disaster awareness and encourages environmental harmony. It focuses on two oral traditions: the Smong song from Simeulue Island in Aceh, Indonesia, and the kamuy yukara “Nokkurunka” song as represented in Tsushima sYuko’s Jakka Dofuni Umi no Kioku no Monogatari, obtained from the oral traditions of the Ainu people in Japan. Using a collective memory framework and comparative literature analysis, this qualitative research explores how oral traditions in these countries share ecological wisdom related to natural disasters and how they contribute to disaster awareness and cultural resilience. The findings reveal that the Smong functions as a collective memory of cultural knowledge passed down across generations, providing practical guidance to save lives during major earthquakes and tsunamis. Meanwhile, the kamuy yukara “Nokkurunka” serves as a medium to preserve memories of tsunami experiences and as a spiritual narrative on the relationship between humans and kamuy (gods). Thus, both traditions convey local knowledge, functioning as an early warning system for disasters.