Konstruksi Konstruksi dan Komodifikasi Budaya pada Objek Wisata Pantai Air Panas Desa Tolole Kecamatan Ampibabo Kabupaten Parigi Moutong

Konstruksi dan Komodifikasi Budaya pada Objek Wisata

Abstract

This study is motivated by the emergence of a hot spring along the coastline of Tolole Village, which has been deeply interpreted by the local community as a natural sign and is believed to possess healing powers. This belief has developed into a form of local culture that is now packaged as a tourist attraction and a source of economic livelihood for the community. This study aims to examine how cultural constructions are formed at the Hot Spring Beach tourism site in Tolole Village and how cultural commodification occurs within tourism practices in the area.

The research employs a descriptive qualitative method, with data collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. Informants were selected using purposive sampling, involving individuals considered capable of addressing the research questions, including village government officials, tourism managers, micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) actors, local community members, and tourists. Data analysis was conducted through data reduction, data presentation, and verification.The findings indicate that the local community of Tolole Village initially perceived the natural phenomenon as an ordinary hot spring. However, through personal testimonies and experiences of health improvements after visiting the hot spring, a belief in its healing power gradually emerged. This belief underwent a process of cultural construction, in which subjective community experiences transformed into an objective reality through healing narratives, as well as the dissemination of information via word of mouth and social media. These healing narratives play a crucial role in establishing the spiritual recognition of the hot spring. Furthermore, the study reveals a process of cultural commodification, in which spiritual values and traditional healing practices are transformed into tourism commodities. This is evident in the development of hot spring wells by the village government and village-owned enterprises (BUMDes), the establishment of health therapy services, and the implementation of time-regulated therapy practices tailored to tourists’ needs. While these practices have positively contributed to increasing the economic income of the local community and tourism managers, they also pose the potential risk of shifting the sacred cultural meanings and transforming community orientations from spiritual values toward economic interests.