ETHNIC TOURISM: AND TRADITIONAL CEREMONIES OF THE TOBA BATAK COMMUNITY IN NORTH SUMATRA
This study aims to track and reveal Ethnic Tourism and Traditional Ceremonies of the Toba Batak Community. It is quite interesting that ethnic tourism, where the main attraction is the exotic culture of the local population and its various artifacts (music, dance) is a special case that is interesting for looking at various ethnic relations, and furthermore, advantegeosly, can be analyzed as ethnic relations. The method used in this research is a qualitative method involving descriptive analysis. The theories used for analysis are tourism theory, commodification theory, and change theory. The research results show that the church supports performances that aim to broadcast religion to the public, not for tourism purposes. On the other hand, it is in the government’s interest to stimulate activities of traditional ceremonies, not only for tourism purposes but also as an effort to preserve and develop their cultural identity. The Mangalahat Horbo Lae-Lae ceremony presented in a tourism context has reflected the complexity and ambiguity in the efforts and reconstruction of the ethnic and cultural identity of the Batak people in the midst of a situation where traditions and inter-ethnic relations continue to change.
Keywords: Tourism, ethnicity, traditional ceremonies, Toba Batak
