Impacts of UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage on Cultural Diversity -The Case of Jathilan, Indonesian Traditional Dance-

The impacts of the UNESCO Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage have been investigated from diverse angles. An issue that has received relatively little attention in these examinations is the position of the intangible cultural heritage in Muslim-majority countries where the influence of Islam has recently strengthened. The literal interpretation of Islamic teachings has brought a tendency to look at daily life through the framework of Islamic and non-Islamic life. This dichotomy has shaken the foundation of traditional cultural heritage elements that are not usually mentioned clearly in the Scriptures, and thus hostile attitudes to them have been expressed. To examine the impacts of the UNESCO Convention on Muslimmajority countries, this paper investigates Indonesia, focusing on the policy of designation of national intangible cultural heritage. First, the paper explores whether the concept of intangible cultural heritage as a living tradition in the community is properly reflected in the policyimplementation process. Second, the paper analyzes how a traditional dance that was criticized as non-Islamic has acquired a new identity from discourse on intangible cultural heritage. With these, the paper maintains that the UNESCO Convention has helped to maintain the cultural diversity of Indonesian society.