The “Return” of a Theatre State during Indonesia’s Democratization Period: The Case of the Dayak “Kingdom” in West Kalimantan Province

Abstract

This paper argues that the theatre state has “returned” among the Dayak people of West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. The concept of the theatre state, developed by American anthropologist Clifford Geertz to describe pre-colonial Balinese kingdoms, has been controversial. Subsequent research argued that the model was better applied to the colonial era when the separation of the kingdoms’ ritual authority and political power was advanced. The paper finds that the theatre state has “returned” during the democratic period by an un-doing of this separation via the elevation of kings as customary authorities. The paper first clarifies the backdrop of this “return,” in which enduring conflicts between development/extractive companies and locals create fertile ground for the rise of kings who can mediate based on adat. Second, the paper investigates how the Dayak king has constructed relationships with the secular authorities as the customary authority of Dayak people. Third, the paper describes the ceremonies of the kingdom, through which the Dayak people actualize their theatre state.