REINVIGORATING TRADITIONAL CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS OF 'WAYANG KULIT TATAH SUNGGING' FROM BANTUL, INDONESIA, THROUGH GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS: A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This article analyzes the legal implications of registering Wayang Kulit Tatah Sungging Pucung Bantul, a traditional Javanese shadow puppet art as a Geographical Indication (GI) in Indonesia. While Indonesia’s GI regime has primarily focused on agricultural commodities, its extension to Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCEs) presents complex issues concerning identity, ownership, and cultural commercialization. Employing a normative and socio-legal methodology, this study examines the interaction between legal instruments, institutional structures, and community perspectives in the GI registration process. The findings reveal that the existing GI framework provides only symbolic recognition without ensuring community empowerment or equitable benefit-sharing. The paper proposes a legal integration model that merges GIs with community-based intellectual property mechanisms to strengthen cultural sustainability. It concludes that an effective GI framework for TCEs must balance legal protection, cultural justice, and socio-economic empowerment through participatory and reform-oriented governance.