Power Relations Urang Pandai and Candidate on Regional Head Election in West Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract

The transformation in the election of regional heads from indirect to direct since 2005 brought many changes to the dynamics of local politics in Indonesia. One of these changes is the opening up of opportunities for community members as candidates for regional heads and the strengthening of power relations between candidates and urang pandai. A clearer understanding of the position of urang pandai in West Sumatra will help stakeholders in the election to map out the forces that will support a higher-quality election. This research uses the historical method. There are four stages in the historical method, namely; heuristics, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography. The results of this study reveal two typologies of urang pandai in Minangkabau culture involved in the election of regional heads, namely the sufi healer, and orang berakuan. Direct regional head election regulations lead to intense competition between candidates. The amount of material sacrifice and strong pressure to win encourages candidates to find someone who has magical abilities and is placed as a spiritual mentor and political advisor. Wirid, tahlilan (reading prayers), pilgrimage to the grave, giving prayers, terawangan (divination) and the use jimat (amulets) are the practice of power relations between people and candidates.