From Gandrung Statue to the Gandrung Sewu: Approaching Two Decades of Cultural Policy in Banyuwangi (2000-2019)

Abstract

This paper aims to explain the dynamics of cultural policy in Banyuwangi for almost twenty years. This was related to the policies of the Banyuwangi regents who, since T. Purnomo Sidik (1991-2000), had paid great attention to the development of Using culture. Through Decree Number 401 of 1996, he established Kemiren as the location of Using Tourism Village. Furthermore, Regent Samsul Hadi (2000-2005) promoted the development of Using culture through political project Jenggirat Tangi, a series of government programs aimed at converting Using culture in Banyuwangi, starting from Using language that must be used on anniversaries, revitalizing traditional arts, rituals, and Using batik as Banyuwangi's local identity. Regent Ratna Ani Lestari (2005-2010) focused on developing welfare, especially free education for students, and Regent Abdullah Azwar Anas (20102020)

globalized Banyuwangi's local culture and traditional arts through fashion. Banyuwangi Ethno Carnival (BEC) as a world-level fashion that seeks to highlight the aspects of local culture, namely traditional arts and rituals, while in 2017, it took the natural beauty of Mount Ijen which emits blue flames as its main theme. This also can be seen in the examples of determination of the theme, namely Gandrung, Kundaran, and Janger (2011), Barong Using (2012), Kebo-keboan (2013), Ritual Seblang (2014), Pengantin Using (Using Bride) (2015), The Legend of Sri Tanjung Sidopekso (2016), Pesona Ijen (2017), and Putar Kayun (2018). There are discourses that develop from cultural control and identity formation to global-local cultural strategies for increasing productivity and prosperity. This cultural wealth is the potential of social capital for the progress of the region to empower economic development. This is of course synergistic with the joint regulation of the Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Culture and Tourism No.42 of 2009 / No.40 of 2009 concerning Cultural Conservation Guidelines stating that government policies in preserving national culture are aimed at fulfilling human rights, promoting civilization, harmony and unity, and the welfare of the Indonesian people, so that cultural preservation needs to be done. With ethnographic methods, socio-cultural struggles can provide encouragement for the development and ability of negotiations on cultural politics in the future. Therefore, recording and giving meaning to every historical cultural policy needs to continue to be carried out as a step of understanding and determining further policies that are increasingly functional, involving, prospering, and empowering the supporting community.