ADVOCACY OF RECORDS AND ARCHIVES FOR TOPENG BLANTEK AS INTAGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

ADVOCACY OF RECORDS AND ARCHIVES FOR TOPENG BLANTEK AS INTAGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 

Hikmah Irfaniah* and Ike Iswary Lawanda* 

able to convey the support of DKI Jakarta government toward Topeng Blantek in the stipulation program. This record is also preserved as evidence of Departement activities within the Intangible Cultural Heritage Program. For the Ministry of Education and Culture, academic study, photographs, and video are evidence to corroborate the description of intangible cultural product on the form. The description on the form is not strong enough to provide evidence. Letters as active records functioned as a means of communication and as evidence of activities to be maintained. 

According to Shepherd and Yeo (2003) record is evidence of activity and the ability to provide evidence is an important feature of a record. Topeng Blantek records, both active and inactive are considered as a evidence of community, Tourism and Culture Department of DKI Jakarta, Hall of Preservation and Cultural Value of West Java, and the Ministry of Education and Culture in performing their activities and responsibilities. These records contain evidence and information used to advocate Topeng Blantek to be Intangible Cultural Heritage of Indonesia originating from DKI Jakarta. 

4.3. Advocacy of Topeng Blantek Records and Archives 

In the stipulation program of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Indonesia, advocacy is conducted to voice the support for the establishment of the ownership status and protection of Topeng Blantek. Records used as a means of voicing support from the supporters of Topeng Blantek. The process of advocating Topeng Blantek aims to institute Topeng Blantek through the stipulation program of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This process consists of several stages. Each stage of the Intangible Cultural Heritage program involves records in serving as evidences and supports toward Topeng Blantek as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Indonesia. The stipulation process of Intangible Cultural Heritage is a gradual process of institutionalization and involving organizations at the community level, local government level, to the central government as a legitimator. The legitimation is symbolized by the decree of the Minister of Education and Culture and the certificate of Topeng Blantek as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Each stage in the process of institutionalization of Topeng Blantek is supported by the records created by every organization involved. Records belonging to organizations are means for advocating Topeng Blantek since at the earliest stage up to the latest stage. The records were resulted from each stage and the records were used as the foundation for the next stage until the legitimacy is achieved. Suchman (in Colyvas & Powell, 2006) stated that legitimacy is a common perception or assumption that the action of an entity is desirable, precise, or appropriate in a system of socially constructed norms, values, beliefs and provisions. The legitimacy is marked by the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture and Certificate of Topeng Blantek. By this legitimation, the institution of Topeng Blantek is established.