Cultural Performance and Religious Nationalism: A Theoretical Model of Value Internalization through Wayang Aji Narantaka

EDUSOSHUM Journal of Islamic Education and Social Humanities Vol. 6, No. 2, May-August 2026, pp. 1149-1159 ISSN 2776-5229 1149 Cultural Performance and Religious Nationalism: A Theoretical Model of Value Internalization through Wayang Aji Narantaka 1, 2 Ahmad Najih Musoffa Fuadi1*, Naila Intania2 Institut Agama Islam Khozinatul Ulum Blora, Indonesia * ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history Received March 11, 2026 Revisied April 17, 2026 Accepted May, 18, 2026 Keywords: Ajinarantaka, religious nationalism, traditional performance, value internalization, wayang. This study examines the role of Wayang Kulit, particularly the Aji Narantaka episode, as a medium for the internalization of religious nationalism within rural communities. The study focuses on a community service program conducted in Temengeng Village, Blora Regency, where wayang performances had been absent for more than a decade despite previously functioning as an important collective cultural tradition. Guided by the Religious-Cultural Nationalism Internalization (RCNI) Model, this study employed the Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach involving community leaders, local residents, village officials, audience participants, and the university service team. Data were collected through participatory observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation, and were analyzed qualitatively through thematic interpretation. The findings reveal that the revitalization of the wayang performance strengthened cultural loyalty, collective solidarity, moral-religious responsibility, and community commitment toward sustaining local cultural traditions. The symbolic values embodied in the Aji Narantaka episode also fostered emotional engagement and collective awareness regarding social responsibility, cultural preservation, and national identity. These findings demonstrate that traditional cultural performances can function not only as cultural preservation activities, but also as a form of social pedagogy capable of strengthening religious nationalism through collective cultural experiences in rural community life. 1. INTRODUCTION In the contemporary era of globalization, the crisis of collective identity and the weakening of nationalism have become serious challenges faced by societies around the world, including Indonesia (Zhexembekova et al., 2025). The rapid growth of information technology, social mobility, and global cultural homogenization has transformed the mindset and value orientation of modern society (Syakhsiyyah et al., 2025). Although globalization has encouraged civilizational progress, it has also distanced younger generations from local culture, historical roots, and moral values that traditionally shaped communal life (Aimie, 2024). As a result, national belonging, social solidarity, and appreciation for cultural heritage have gradually declined, particularly among youth who are more closely connected to global popular culture than to local traditions. In Indonesia, this issue is especially important considering the nation’s rich cultural heritage, including Wayang Kulit, which has long functioned as a medium for transmitting ethical, philosophical, and social values (Sapphira, 2023). UNESCO has officially recognized Wayang as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, affirming its importance as a cultural legacy that must be preserved and transmitted across generations (Solichin, 2012). However, the growing influence of global culture has led to a declining interest in such traditions, especially among rural youth. This decline reflects a broader gap between Ahmad Najih Musoffa Fuadi et.al (Cultural Performance and Religious Nationalism..) EDUSOSHUM Journal of Islamic Education and Social Humanities Vol. 6, No. 2, May-August 2026, pp. 1149-1159 ISSN 2776-5229 1150 formal educational efforts in character building and the lived cultural experiences of local communities, where value internalization often occurs more effectively through informal and symbolic practices (Syakhsiyyah et al., 2025). Wayang Kulit performances featuring the Aji Narantaka episode represent an epic narrative of the struggle between virtue and evil, centered on Gatotkaca’s journey to obtain the sacred power of Aji Narantaka in order to defeat Dursala from the Kurawa lineage(Wayang, 2010). Etymologically, the term “aji” refers to noble knowledge, sacred power, or a highly valued form of strength, while “Narantaka” is derived from the words “nara”, meaning human, and “antaka”, meaning destroyer or conqueror (Wikipedia, 2026). Traditionally performed as shadow puppet theatre and accompanied by gamelan music, sinden vocals, and dramatic narration by the dalang, the performance commonly lasts throughout the night and combines visual, literary, oral, and spiritual elements within a communal cultural setting. Beyond its artistic form, the performance provides audiences with cultural and philosophical experiences related to moral struggle, patience, courage, and the ethical use of power in defending truth and social harmony (Permana, 2017). Within rural Javanese society, wayang also functions as a medium of moral education, cultural transmission, and communal gathering, often presented during village ceremonies, cultural celebrations, and collective social events where community members interact, share experiences, and reinforce social solidarity (Reza, 2018). In this context, wayang is not merely understood as entertainment, but as a living cultural practice that integrates symbolic meaning, collective emotion, and social values within community life. Considering the potential of Wayang Kulit, wayang holds significant promise as a medium for the internalization of religious nationalism values. The internalization of religious nationalism is understood as the process through which love for the homeland, national responsibility, social solidarity, and respect for national identity become embedded within the consciousness of individuals and communities, while simultaneously being perceived as part of moral and religious responsibility (Mubarok et al., 2025). This process may be identified through several key indicators, namely the growth of a sense of belonging to the nation and local culture, increasing awareness of preserving tradition as a shared heritage, stronger social solidarity and mutual cooperation among community members (Parepare, 2025), the emergence of the view that safeguarding unity and culture constitutes a religious value, and the collective desire to sustain cultural traditions in the future so that they do not fall into decline (Triyanto, 2016). Therefore, religious nationalism is not merely understood as an ideological discourse, but is manifested concretely in attitudes, social participation, and the collective commitment of communities to preserve local culture as an integral part of national identity. Previous studies have generally positioned traditional performances primarily within the fra (...truncated)