From Agent to Agency: Management of the Aer Mata Ebhu Tourism Destination, the Noble Burial Complex of West Madura, by the Local Community in Arosbaya, Bangkalan

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-366-5_90How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Cultural Heritage Site; Local Community Management; Power Dynamics

Abstract

The Aer Mata Ebhu Burial Complex is estimated to date back to the 15th century, serving as the final resting place of the Cakraningrat dynasty, their families, and retainers. This study aims to identify the process by which the local community transitions from acting as agents to becoming agents of agency in managing the AerMata Ebhu Burial Complex. The research employs an ethnographic approach and draws upon the theoretical perspective of Anthony Giddens. Interviews were conducted with three components of the local community responsible for managing AerMata Ebhu, the Bangkalan Tourism Office, and the Cultural Heritage Preservation Agency (BPK) Region XI East Java. The findings reveal that this destination ranks among the top three religious tourism sites in Bangkalan in terms of visitor numbers. The burial complex serves not only as a cultural symbol but also as a heritage site reflecting the dynamic interplay of various interests. Administratively, the site is a historical and archaeological relic under the supervision of the BPK Region XI East Java. However, its management is heavily influenced by local community interests, which are represented in the three-tiered spatial structure of the complex, comprising the first courtyard, the second courtyard, and the main courtyard. These courtyards, connected by ascending steps, reflect the hierarchical distribution of power among local community actors, illustrating the process of transitioning from agent to agency, as they sustain power dynamics through the physical structure and economic interests associated with the site.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Hetti Mulyaningsih
AU  - Aminah Dewi Rahmawati
AU  - Aliya Hamida
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/02/28
TI  - From Agent to Agency: Management of the Aer Mata Ebhu Tourism Destination, the Noble Burial Complex of West Madura, by the Local Community in Arosbaya, Bangkalan
BT  - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Social Environment Diversity (ICOSEND 2024)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 895
EP  - 902
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-366-5_90
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-366-5_90
ID  - Mulyaningsih2025
ER  -