Abstract
This paper is an examination of the dynamics of Indonesian Muslim society, focusing upon ordinary Muslims' reaction to the growing Islamic revivalist movements of the post-Suharto era. The expansion of revivalist movements after the fall of the Suharto regime have caused ordinary Muslims a sort of mental perplexity; while willing to be good Muslims, they have not rejected secular elements of their life environment and have even required them as everyday necessities. It was Inul Daratista's performance that caused the transformation of this perplexity into actual opposition to the intervening Islamic revivalists. Inul is a female dangdut singer who recently became famous for her unique dancing style (goyang ngebor), which many Islamic activists have harshly denounced. Many ordinary Muslims have supported her because they think that her performance legitimately succeeds in the tradition of dangdut as their own popular culture, and that her stainless success story and honest behavior are more attractive than the“Islamic doctrine” asserted by revivalists. Ironically, their repulsion developed within the framework of Islam and Islamic ethical views. Their support for Inul takes the form of public commentary that criticizes the “hypocrisy” or formalism of the revivalists. It is in this activity by ordinary people that we can recognize a new cultural development in Indonesian Muslim society.
