ABSTRACT
Besides kiai (religious leaders), there are other variants of local leadership and Islam in Madura. In local leadership, this includes klebun (village heads) and blater (local strongmen), while in Islam, this includes non-santri Islam (less orthodox form of Islam) with the blater as its most avid supporters. Nowadays, while many areas seem to be increasingly sharia (Islamic law) oriented, Madura clings to Islamic values without denying the presence of local syncretist cultures. This chapter is essential reading for anyone interested in an intricate encounter between Islam and local traditions in modern times.
