Journal of Studies on Art, Culture, and Society
Volume 2 Issue 2 July 2025

Mappadendang and the Politics of Religious Orthodoxy: Cultural Adaptation in Contemporary Bugis Society

Yaffa, Aurea Chiara (Unknown)
Firnanda, Deviyan Angel (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
31 Jul 2025

Abstract

This study examines the transformation of Mappadendang, a traditional Bugis harvest ritual, amidst the rise of Islamic orthodoxy in contemporary Indonesia. Once a unifying cultural celebration, Mappadendang has experienced a decline in Muslim participation due to increasing scripturalist interpretations that view the ritual as incompatible with religious doctrine. Employing an ethnographic case-study approach in a South Sulawesi village, this research explores the community’s adaptive strategies, including ritual negotiation, symbolic reinterpretation, and religious reframing. The findings highlight how local actors maintain cultural resilience by transforming tradition into forms more acceptable to dominant religious norms. Through the frameworks of cultural politics and Islamic modernisation, the study underscores that cultural change in Muslim societies involves negotiation, not merely rejection, of heritage. This work contributes to broader discourses on religious orthodoxy, local identity, and the politics of cultural adaptation in plural societies.

Copyrights © 2025






Journal Info

Abbrev

journal

Publisher

Subject

Religion Arts Humanities

Description

The scope of research in art is the range or limitation of topics that can be researched in the field of art. The scope of research in art can vary depending on the purpose, method, and approach of the research. However, in general, the scope of research in art can include: 1. The journal explores ...