Borobudur temple and the megalith villages of the Ngadha and Manggarai in the light of Indonesia’s tourist promotion; A legacy of colonial representation

Indonesia's tourism promotion, prioritizing ten key destinations, perpetuates colonial-era marginalization and exoticization of ethnic groups, rooted in Dutch Darwinian social evolution. This study reveals how Borobudur Temple in Java and the megalith villages of Ngadha and Manggarai in Flores are represented through this lens, influencing both tourist perceptions and local stakeholders. It uncovers the interplay between Dutch colonial knowledge control, government vision, tourist desires, and local expectations, while highlighting ongoing efforts by local residents to decolonize tourism narratives. The research combines historical and socio-cultural analysis to expose the lasting impact of colonial representation on contemporary tourism dynamics.

(Ed.). (2023). Borobudur temple and the megalith villages of the Ngadha and Manggarai in the light of Indonesia’s tourist promotion; A legacy of colonial representation. Wacana, Journal of the Humanities of Indonesia, 24(3). https://doi.org/10.17510/wacana.v24i3.1660