The Dynamics of Communication on the Identity Crisis of Malangan Mask Art in the Cultural Adaptation of Malang People

Abstract

The bias of Malangan mask art is starting to fade. This mask art originating from Malang has lost its authenticity so that it is difficult to distinguish it from the same mask art from other regions. The social changes of the people of Kedungmonggo, as the center of the Malangan mask art, have an impact on the neglect of the authenticity of the local traditional culture. This condition ultimately invalidates the interpretation of the symbols of Malangan mask art and even threatens the sustainability of the Malangan mask art itself. This study aims to rediscover the true meaning of the characteristics of Malangan masks using semiotic and ethnographic approaches to trace the social life of the people of Kedungmonggo and to adapt Malangan mask art as a symbol of Malang traditional culture. The results show that the identity crisis of Malangan mask art occurs because of the lack of cultural literature, especially historical literature. Many stories are hidden from their true meaning as a form of story camouflage so that people believe in myths more than in histories. The life of the Kedungmonggo community is based on cultural symbols that have experienced a cultural crisis due to the flow of modern culture.