HERITAGE-MAKING AT THE PALEMBANG CHENG HO MOSQUE: ARCHITECTURE, RITUAL, AND TOURISM NARRATIVES OF CHINESE-INDONESIAN MUSLIM IDENTITY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v24i42.2074Keywords:
Heritage-making, Chinese-Indonesian Muslims, mosque architecture, lived religion, tourism narrativesAbstract
The Palembang Cheng Ho Mosque is a prominent site where Chinese-Indonesian Muslim identity becomes visible through heritage discourse, religious practice, and tourism. As a hybrid landmark blending Chinese symbolism with Islamic functions, it provides a case for examining how heritage is constructed and stabilised through institutional management and everyday devotional life in contemporary Indonesia. This article analyses how the mosque operates as a heritage-making institution negotiating identity through architecture, ritual governance, and tourism narratives. Using a qualitative case-study approach, the research combines ethnographic observation, interviews, discourse analysis of signage and media, and analysis of online materials. Findings show that architectural hybridity balances ethnic visibility with Islamic legitimacy, while ritual governance regulates symbols to maintain public acceptability. Tourism narratives centred on Admiral Cheng Ho frame the mosque as a heritage attraction, and online reviews emphasise its architecture over devotional aspects, reinforcing its dual role as both a religious space and a heritage destination.
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