The The Duality of Pela Gandong in the Peace Narrative in Maluku: Between Local Wisdom and Hegemony

Indonesia

Abstract

This article examines the duality of Pela Gandong in Maluku’s peace narrative, positioning it between authentic local wisdom and a political tool for hegemony. Post-conflict, Pela Gandong was revitalized to rebuild Muslim-Christian cohesion. However, its institutionalization by elites often creates a hegemonic narrative that prioritizes social stability while obscuring structural issues like economic inequality, segregation, and collective trauma. Drawing on Antonio Gramsci’s hegemony and Michel Foucault’s power discourse, this study argues that the formal narrative of Pela Gandongrisks producing a "negative peace." Conversely, organic cross-community musical practices—such as Christian youth participating in the hadroh tradition—offer a participatory counter-discourse. Music fosters grassroots social healing and "positive peace." Ultimately, sustainable reconciliation in Maluku requires a holistic approach that integrates local wisdom, alternative cultural expressions, and the resolution of structural injustices.