Antropologi Indonesia
Article Title
The Politicization of Kabihu Identity in the 2020 Regional Head Election in East Sumba Regency
Abstract
Following the 1998 reform, the implementation of direct regional head elections in Indonesia increased the prevalence of identity politics in various regions. Not only religious and tribal identities, but various group identities in society are politicized to achieve political victory. This article analyzes the identity politicization during the 2020 East Sumba Regency regional head election. The research utilizes a qualitative method by employing a case study approach. The study demonstrates several notable findings. (1) The 2020 East Sumba Regency regional head election witnessed identity politicization, albeit inexplicitly. (2) Various group identities in East Sumba, including religious affiliation, ethnicity, social class, regional loyalty, and government bureaucracy, were subject to politicization. (3) A unique form of identity politics emerged in East Sumba Regency, known as kabihu, which is a social group formed based on race and ancestral origins. (4) Despite identity politics’ positive impacts (Heller, 1996), its negative consequences outweighed the positive ones.