The Role of Local Cultural Heritage in Community Empowerment: The Case of Gentur Lantern in Jambudipa Village, Indonesia

ABSTRACT

Ngalogat is a type of pesantren tradition in Indonesia that is increasingly recognized as a local cultural heritage. However, there have been limited studies on the local potentials and assets in Jambudipa Village. This paper aims to explore the transformation of the Ngalogat tradition into new commodities, specifically Gentur lantern crafts, as a contribution to heritage studies. The research utilized a phenomenological approach involving observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. The results indicate that the preservation of Ngalogat as a Gentur lamp commodity is indirectly influenced by religious figures advising students (Santri) living in Jambudipa and promoting the iconic heritage to residents. This has led the local government to initiate One Village One Product program, involving locals in producing Gentur lamps. While the pesantren traditions were once viewed with suspicion during the Dutch colonial regime, the post-independence era has brought hope for preserving local cultural heritage as a national identity and a driver of national development. However, these potentials have not been fully realized as authentic crafts of the people. This study suggests that the government should assist local communities in nominating intangible cultural assets to the World Heritage Committee (WHC) to gain recognition and protection of local identity.

KEYWORDS:

• Intangible cultural heritage
• Gentur lanterns
• sustainable livelihoods
• Jambudipa Village
• preserving local culture
• pesantren tradition
• community empowerment
• Indonesia

Acknowledgment

Thank you to Lembaga Penelitian dan Pengabdian Masyarakat (LP2M) UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta for Community-Based Research cluster in 2021 with Grand Number B-2250.1.8.7/Un.02/PPK/PT01.03.07/2021. The researchers are particularly grateful to all research assistants, Mohammad Safi Fauzi and Siti Aida, for their substantial contributions to the processing of all data collected during fieldwork.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).