Visualisation Of The Tabut Bengkulu Building As A Reflection Of Social And Cultural Identity

Abstract

Artworks in a ritual context, such as the Tabut structure in Bengkulu, are an important medium for representing and maintaining the continuity of collective identity. This paper examines the visualisation of the Tabut as a sociological text to understand the reflection of social reality and the process of cultural identity negotiation among communities that inherit traditions. The study was conducted qualitatively using Arnold Hauser's Sociology of Art and Pierre Bourdieu's Theory of the Field of Cultural Production, supported by visual, historical, and textual analysis. The findings show that the Tabut's visual representation serves two main functions. From Hauser's social perspective, the towering structure and its diverse ornamentation, combining calligraphy, local motifs, and non-Malay elements, reflect the solidarity, acculturation, and plural identity of the Bengkulu community. The transformation of the Tabut from a sacred ritual into a public cultural festival also reflects socio-economic dynamics oriented towards tourism. From Bourdieu's cultural perspective, the visualisation of the Tabut serves as symbolic capital for the Tabut Family Harmony (KKT) in the arena of cultural power. The KKT utilises the iconography of the Tabut to negotiate the legitimacy of the Shia minority identity by reframing the ritual as a universal Islamic heritage, while maintaining spiritual authority through the distinction between the Sacred Tabut and the Development Tabut. Overall, this study concludes that the visualisation of the Tabut structure is the KKT's primary strategy for preserving tradition, adapting to social change, and gaining recognition in Bengkulu's heterogeneous society.