Between Tradition, Cultural Expression, and Islamic Values: A Representational Analysis of the 2026 Simbang Kulon Night Carnival

Abstract

Simbang Kulon Night Carnival (SKNC) 2026, held as part of the Prophet's Birthday (Maulid Nabi) commemoration and a mass circumcision event in Buaran, Pekalongan Regency, became a public controversy after clips of the performance went viral on social media. This study aims to analyze how the media framed the controversy and represented the relationship between tradition, cultural expression, and Islamic values. It employs a qualitative approach with Robert N. Entman's framing analysis, covering problem definition, causal diagnosis, moral judgment, and treatment recommendation, applied to 15 online news articles published around 14-16 September 2026. The findings show that the main problem was defined as performance content deemed to deviate from the meaning of the Prophet's birthday, with causes attributed to a mystical and horror-themed concept, participants' limited understanding, and the spread of the video on social media. The strongest moral judgment came from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), while participants responded by admitting an unintended mistake and apologizing. The recommendations highlighted were evaluative and preventive rather than punitive, through clarification by the organizing committee. In the media's representation, tradition and cultural expression are not rejected but conditionally accepted, provided they align with Islamic values referenced through religious authority. This study contributes to mass communication research, particularly on the role of online media framing in shaping public discourse on religious and cultural issues in Indonesia.