The Poja Bugis Dance in Selangor: Cultural Re-Creation and Identity Formation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33736/ijaca.10580.2026Keywords:
Poja dance, Bugis identity, cultural reconstruction, heritage performance, SelangorAbstract
This study investigates the evolution and re-creation of the Poja Bugis dance in Selangor as a pivotal mechanism for cultural identity formation within the Bugis community. Despite its prominence in state ceremonies, the dance remains critically under-documented and lacks comprehensive academic analysis. This study employs a qualitative case study methodology and draws on semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and rigorous document analysis to examine its development. The theoretical framework synthesizes Shils’ conceptualization of tradition, Hobsbawm and Ranger’s "invention of tradition," and Hall’s theory of cultural identity. The findings indicate that the Poja dance emerged through a process of cultural adaptation and reconstruction from the Pakkuru Sumange dance of South Sulawesi, shaped significantly by the institutional, political, and social dynamics of Selangor. The study further demonstrates that the dance embodies the concept of "identity as becoming," whereby cultural identity is continually negotiated and reconstructed within a diasporic context. This research significantly contributes to the discourse on cultural sustainability, ethnic identity construction, and the politics of heritage performance in Malaysia.
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