Candi Borobudur is one of the most prominent ‘heritage sites’ in Indonesia. Since its ‘rediscovery’ by Dutch colonists, researchers have been using Western approaches to gain insight in the...Show moreCandi Borobudur is one of the most prominent ‘heritage sites’ in Indonesia. Since its ‘rediscovery’ by Dutch colonists, researchers have been using Western approaches to gain insight in the function, surroundings and overall significance of the candi. In doing so, many scholars have overlooked the Buddhist theological aspects that demonstrate the existence of a cultural landscape in the form of a representative mandala. Within this cultural landscape, local villagers had long maintained a self-sufficient way of life that was both environmentally friendly and economically diverse. Nevertheless, the Dutch East Indies government prescribed that Candi Borobudur be a ‘monument’ and appropriated it as part of Dutch imperial legacy. This narrow understanding is the basis of the ‘heritagisation’ of Candi Borobudur, manifested in its spatial reduction and the omission of its intangible features. After the Republic of Indonesia’s independence, the New Order regime continued to ‘heritagise’ the candi by conducting an exhaustive restoration in the 1970s. An example of ‘crypto-colonialism’ and ‘authorised heritage’, the restoration culminated in Candi Borobudur’s inscription in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site List in 1991. According to the official Indonesian narrative, the candi is a ‘monument’ that epitomises Indonesian cultural and historical wealth. Inspired by the republic’s Pancasila ideology, such a narrative is to instill a sense of ownership of the candi among Indonesians. Ironically, the process of ‘heritagisation’ of Candi Borobudur has entailed the co-optation of obsolete legislation and forced evictions of local communities. Given that the candi is a Buddhist site in a Muslim-majority country, its religious meaning has also become increasingly foreign. Overall, the ‘heritagisation’ of Candi Borobudur demonstrates both a combination of and a contention between ‘colonial’ and nationalist practices.Show less
