Kembalinya Barata Kulisusu: Kebangkitan Identitas Kelompok Bangsawan Kulisusu Dalam Proses Pemekaran Kabupaten Buton Utara

Abstract

Abstract
The expansion of a new autonomous region (DOB) not only provides an arena for reproductive
power of local elites, such as politicians, senior bureaucrats and businessmen, but also provides
an access for the adatleaders to reaffirm the symbol of power attached to their heritable
nobility. This article aims to explain the process of reproductive powers of Kulisusu aristocratic
in the expansion process of North Buton regency. The reproduction of identity and power of
Kalisusu royalty in the expansion process of North Buton begun since adat leaders got involved
in the expansion of political activities in order to legitimize the emergence of North Buton
identity. To legitimize North Buton identity, adat leaders are supported by the claims that they
have genealogical relationship with their ancestors, the founders of Kalisusu royal nobility. The
involvement of adat leaders is, in fact, not on their own initiative, but by the expansion agents.
However, the involvment of adat leaders have precisely giventhem a space for reproductive
power in a new autonomous regions, North Buton. It shows how the reproduction of identity is
closely associated with theirfuture interests. The study also found that the return of the rule of
Kulisusu aristocratic into a new contestation isaimed to find the foundation of original Kalisusu
adat.

Keywords: identity reproduction, power, barata, contestation, autonomous.