A new statue to proclaim an old culture: reactions to and intentions of the statue of ‘Christ the redeemer’, Melaka

Abstract

ABSTRACT Jointly-listed with George Town as a UNESCO world heritage site since 2008, Melaka is one of the few cities in Muslim-majority Malaysia where the public display of statues is not unusual. A replica of Rio De Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer built in the city’s Portuguese settlement in 2017 nevertheless caused controversy due to its subject matter. As the largest statue in tourist-dependent Melaka, its public acceptance is an important cultural and heritage issue. It showcases a minority community’s attempt to self-identify with a replica of a foreign cultural icon, raising questions about symbolism and authenticity surrounding how a new and imported construct can represent an old and localized culture. By highlighting the reaction of academic tourists to Melaka’s Christ the Redeemer, this study shows how a small but strongly-motivated community can create a new statue that is nevertheless accepted as a proclamation of heritage. It is an example of how even a contentious monument can be protected from demolition by adding it to society’s social conscience and ‘tourist gaze’.