Politics of custom preservation : a comparative study of Tana Toraja and Toraja Utara

Abstract

Preserving customs (Adat) has become a significant political issue in many multicultural societies, especially in countries rich in ethnic diversity such as Indonesia. Custom or Adat preservation is often politicized, becoming a tool to legitimize power, mobilize support, or even justify exclusion and marginalization. In many cases, local and Adat elites instrumentalize Adat for political purposes. Tana Toraja and Toraja Utara have similarities in Geography, Ethnic Majority, and Customs, but have different outcomes in custom preservation. This research aims to analyze the political dynamics underlying the preservation of local customs in Tana Toraja and Toraja Utara. It seeks to compare the role of local actors, such as Customary Elites, in shaping the discourse and practice of custom preservation, and to identify the conditions under which custom preservation leads to inclusive versus exclusive political outcomes. This research employs a comparative qualitative method, utilizing the Most Similar System Designs (MSSD) approach, to compare regions with similar features of explanatory factors that influence different outcomes. The findings show that the Customary Elites in Tana Toraja were more dominant in the DPRD than in Toraja Utara; Customary Elites in Tana Toraja actively advocated for local regulations focused on custom preservation, whereas Toraja Utara focused on economic and tourism development. In RCI, the domination of Customary Elites as actors calculates their political behavior to gain benefits, such as benefits in the political and cultural structure.