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Siti Muflihah, University of Gadjah Mada, IndonesiaAbstract
This research explores the contested cultural space that emerges from the use of the traditional Javanese art performance, “Jathilan,” as a medium for anti-drug campaigns in Bantul Regency, Indonesia. Jathilan, deeply embedded with ritualistic and symbolic cultural meanings, is utilized by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the Tourism Office of Bantul Regency by leveraging the event’s large public attendance to disseminate anti-drug messages through banners, speeches and side activities. Using a qualitative case study approach, this research combines field observations and interviews with performers, campaign organizers, and local audiences. The findings reveal that the cultural space of Jathilan becomes a site of contestation between traditional cultural values and the objectives of modern public health campaigns. A communicative dissonance emerges, as the anti-drug messages conflict with local perceptions and practices associated with Jathilan, such as possession rituals and alcohol consumption. This study highlights the importance of cultural context sensitivity in designing effective public communication strategies that accommodate local values to foster acceptance and reduce resistance. The findings contribute to critical discourse on the intersection of traditional culture and modern communication and open avenues for discussing cultural politics within public health campaigns.
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Conference: KAMC2025Stream: Communication
This paper is part of the KAMC2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Muflihah S. (2026) Contested Cultural Space: The Utilization of Jathilan Events for Anti-Drug Campaign in Bantul Indonesia ISSN: 2436-0503 – The Kyoto Conference on Arts, Media & Culture 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 547-564) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2436-0503.2025.45
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2436-0503.2025.45
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