Author: Saiful Anwar Matondang

The growth of local ethnic cultural production in the current globalized world has resulted in the revival of cultural ethnic identity and commoditization cultural heritage for the global tourism industry. Seeking a micro theory of the local ethnic performance arts, a multisite-ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in areas of tangible heritage among ethnic groups such as Malay, Karo, Mandailing, Toba, and the Chinese in the city of Medan. A series of fieldwork activities which included participatory observation, interviews and ethno-history documents for data collection was conducted. In reshaping cultural identities, the numerous cultural performances were found such as the realization of systems of beliefs, knowledge and social control. The Malay mode of the Pasembahan dance, the Toba Tortor Somba  and the Chinese Lion dance  revitalizes the blief systems, while  social controls are reflected in the Malay’s Serampang XII dance and the Kijom kijom of Mandailing. Those cultural performances have a significant compelling heritage for the global tourism industry. 

Keywords: Micro theory, ethnic arts, ethnic plurality, cultural heritage, global tourism. 

Saiful Anwar Matondang, PhD. Social Drama, Anthropologist & Multilingual Education Specialist, Faculty of Education, Universitas Muslim Nusantara AW, Medan, Indonesia & University of Fribourg-Switzerland. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.