| Abstrak/Abstract |
This paper critically examines the effort of managing authenticity in a politically-related historical site where dissonant sites and contesting discourses evolve surrounding it. The Pancasila Sakti monument signifies the dawn of Indonesia’s New Order, the more-than-three-decade-ruling regime in Indonesia. Built in 1967, it has become one of the popular tourist sites in Jakarta, the capital city, to this day. Following the regime’s fall in 1998, maintaining the monument’s authenticity may have become problematic. Contesting discourses and dissonant sites enfold its attempt to maintain its hitherto dominant narration of Indonesian history under the regime. The aim of this article is to explore how the proliferation of contesting discourses and dissonant sites affect and are responded to by the site’s management in order to maintain their version of the truth. These dissonant sites, along with their specifically contesting political stances, can possibly create contra-narrative discourse which directly impacts on the visitors’ authentic experiences. Using a qualitative case-study research approach, this study inextricably intertwines the staging and re- creation processes of the sites’ narration, as well as an analysis of political contestation behind the settlement of the site as the disclosure of a national historical narration of Indonesia has concurrently evolved. This study also focuses on several attempts provided by the site’s management to extend its authenticity. The findings contend that managing authenticity of the politically-related site is imperative, not only for the sustainability of its micro-level narration but also - more importantly - of macro-level
national history |
