Amanda Destiana, Diki Wahyu Saputra, Yoga Wisnu Abdilah, Aufa Muhammad Zaky, Saskia Wulandari

Revitalizing Local Culture Through the Gandrung Sewu Festival

Introduction

Revitalizing local culture through the gandrung sewu festival. Explore how the Gandrung Sewu Festival revitalizes local culture and the traditional Gandrung dance in Banyuwangi. It fosters community involvement, boosts tourism, and preserves heritage.

Abstract

Cultural festivals are one of the effective strategies in maintaining the existence and revitalization of local culture amidst the challenges of globalization. This study focuses on the Gandrung Sewu Festival in Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, as a medium for preserving the traditional Gandrung dance art which is full of historical, religious, and social values. The purpose of this study is to describe how this festival is not only a mass art performance, but also a space for cultural dialogue involving the younger generation, local communities, government, and tourism actors. This study uses a qualitative approach based on literature review, referring to the historical research method from Gottschalk including heuristics, verification, interpretation, and historiography. Data sources were analyzed from various scientific articles, studies through interviews, and important documents that discuss the relationship between culture and tourism. The results of the study show that the Gandrung Sewu Festival has succeeded in revitalizing the meaning and role of the Gandrung dance as a symbol of local identity and as a tourist attraction that has a real economic impact on the community. The active involvement of the community in the festival forms a sense of belonging and strengthens sustainable cultural awareness. This festival also encourages the growth of the creative economy sector and strengthens Banyuwangi's image as a leading cultural destination. So Gandrung Sewu is not just an annual performance, but becomes a bridge connecting the past, present, and future of local culture. There, the community not only watches, but also participates in celebrating and preserving the cultural heritage that is their collective identity.

Review

This study, "Revitalizing Local Culture Through the Gandrung Sewu Festival," addresses a highly pertinent issue in contemporary cultural studies: the role of festivals in preserving and revitalizing local heritage amidst globalizing forces. By focusing on the Gandrung Sewu Festival in Banyuwangi, East Java, the paper positions this annual event as a critical mechanism for safeguarding the traditional Gandrung dance, which is deeply embedded with historical, religious, and social significance. The stated purpose to describe the festival not merely as a mass performance but as a dynamic space for cultural dialogue among diverse stakeholders—from the younger generation to government and tourism actors—is ambitious and directly relevant to understanding sustainable cultural management. The research employs a qualitative approach, drawing upon an extensive literature review and applying Gottschalk's historical research method, encompassing heuristics, verification, interpretation, and historiography. This methodological choice appears well-suited to unraveling the multifaceted layers of the Gandrung Sewu Festival, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of its evolution, impact, and inherent values. The reliance on diverse data sources, including scientific articles, interviews, and official documents on the culture-tourism relationship, strengthens the potential for robust analysis, particularly in triangulating perspectives and building a rich, nuanced narrative of cultural revitalization. The study's findings reveal that the Gandrung Sewu Festival has been demonstrably successful in revitalizing the Gandrung dance's significance as a local identity symbol and a significant tourist attraction, yielding tangible economic benefits for the community. Crucially, the paper highlights how active community involvement fosters a sense of ownership and sustainable cultural awareness, alongside spurring growth in the creative economy and enhancing Banyuwangi's reputation as a prime cultural destination. The conclusion that the festival acts as a vital bridge connecting the past, present, and future of local culture underscores its profound impact, positioning it as a compelling case study for how cultural events can transcend mere performance to become instruments of collective identity and heritage preservation.

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