The Nyadran Ritual in Sidoarjo: Negotiating the Commodification of Cultural Tourism and Media-Driven Identity Construction

Abstract

Communal cultural studies have become increasingly important in understanding how communities construct and sustain their values and beliefs through ritual practices. As societies evolve, rituals are often modified to ensure their continued relevance and existence. One cultural tradition that has undergone commodification while simultaneously functioning as a medium of identity construction is the Nyadran ritual in Bluru Kidul Village, Sidoarjo Regency, Indonesia. This study aims to (1) analyze the commodification process of the Bluru Kidul Nyadran ritual from the perspective of Adorno and Horkheimer's theory of the culture industry, (2) examine the transformation of its practices, meanings, and the impacts of commodification through Bourdieu's theory of social practice, and (3) investigate the relationship between commodification and ritual as a medium of identity construction using Berger and Luckmann's theory of the social construction of reality. Employing an ethnographic method with a qualitative-exploratory approach, the study collected data through in-depth interviews, participant observation, documentation, and literature review, which were analyzed using ethnographic thematic analysis. The findings indicate that, first, the commodification process has transformed Nyadran from a sacred ritual into a cultural tourism attraction, generated pseudo-individuality and ritual standardization as cultural commodities, and created tensions between ritual authenticity and market demands. Second, from Bourdieu's perspective, the pre-commodification habitus centered on communal prayers for protection and well-being has evolved into new forms of habitus, accompanied by the accumulation and conversion of various forms of capital and the emergence of new social actors within the ritual. Third, according to Berger and Luckmann, the commodified processes of externalization, objectification, and internalization have produced a new collective identity that reflects an ongoing negotiation between the ritual's sacred values and the demands of the tourism market.