Emotional Contracts, Authenticity Paradox, and Community-Led Heritage Tourism: A Mixed-Methods Study of the Pacu Jawi Tradition in Indonesia

Abstract

This study examines how the Pacu Jawi bull-racing tradition in Nagari Tuo Pariangan, Indonesia, sustains its cultural vitality through community-led participation despite limited tourism infrastructure. Using a mixed-methods design that integrates surveys of 68 visitors, qualitative interviews with six key actors, and three-month field observations, the study applies Social Exchange Theory and Tourism Experience Theory to assess experiential quality, stakeholder interactions, and cultural resilience. Findings reveal that Pacu Jawi is maintained not through formal tourism planning but through what this research identifies as an emotional contract: a shared sense of pride, hedonistic pleasure, and cultural identity that motivates stakeholders regardless of economic trade-offs. While authenticity perceptions are exceptionally high (4.83/5), visitor engagement remains low (2.86/5), producing an authenticity paradox in which traditional organization safeguards cultural integrity but limits cross-cultural exchange and inclusive tourism development. Economic spillovers emerge across five local sectors, yet knowledge sharing and interpretive programming remain weak. The predominance of local spectators (94 percent Minangkabau) reinforces “sustainable insularity,” enabling preservation but restricting diversification of visitor markets. The study concludes that enhancing interpretive communication, sensitive infrastructure improvements, and inclusive participation frameworks can transform Pacu Jawi into a more accessible yet culturally grounded heritage tourism model.