Ritus Khaul Kyai Banyumas: Seni, Ziarah, dan Konfigurasi Identitas Keagamaan

The khaul rites in Banyumas are annual religious commemorations that carry spiritual, cultural, and social meanings. This study investigates how the khaul ritual serves as a space for traditional artistic expression and the articulation of local religious identity. Employing a qualitative-descriptive approach with participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and visual documentation, this research reveals that khaul is not merely a death commemoration but a site of intersection between normative Islam, local tradition, and aesthetic expression. Traditional arts such as tembang macapat, hadrah kentongan, and pilgrimage rituals contribute to the reproduction of a distinct religious identity: Banyumas cultural Islam. These rites also become negotiation spaces between religious purification and the preservation of local culture.