The Ketupat War as a Cultural Performance: Ritual, Community Participation, and Cultural Preservation in Tempilang, Bangka Belitung

Abstract

This study examines the Perang Ketupat tradition in Tempilang Village, Bangka Belitung Province, Indonesia, as a form of cultural performance. It aims to analyze the tradition through five dimensions: ritual, performing arts, community participation, cultural education, and community-based safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage (ICH). Employing a qualitative approach based on performance ethnography, data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, document analysis, and a literature review during the 2024 Ketupat War Festival. The findings reveal that the tradition functions not only as a ritual for warding off misfortune but also as a living cultural performance that reinforces cultural identity, strengthens community participation, and facilitates intergenerational cultural transmission through the Serimbang Dance. The festival has evolved into a community-based platform that integrates cultural education with ICH safeguarding. However, challenges related to festival governance and the commercialization of cultural tourism may weaken the ritual's original meaning. This study contributes to the understanding of cultural performance as an integrated framework for sustaining community-based intangible cultural heritage through collaborative efforts among local communities, cultural organizations, government institutions, and other stakeholders.