REPRESENTATION OF JAVANESE WOMEN'S CULTURAL IDENTITY ON TIKTOK ACCOUNT MBAK YU - BERKEBAYA

Abstract

The rapid development of social media has transformed cultural dissemination into a transboundary, algorithm-driven process. TikTok, as a popular platform in Southeast Asia, plays a significant role in shaping cultural representations and identities among the younger generation. In this context, the TikTok account “Mbak Yu-Berkebaya” exists as a digital space that showcases Javanese women’s cultural identity through traditional attire, gestures, and distinctive narratives. This study aims to analyze how Javanese women’s cultural identity is represented in the content of the Mbak Yu-Berkebaya TikTok account, and how the TikTok algorithm influences the visibility and reception of these representations. This study uses a qualitative approach with content analysis methods, focusing on the visual, narrative, and symbolic aspects of the videos, and is supported by a review of literature related to cultural identity and digital media. The results show that the account constructs a representation of Javanese women as synonymous with gentleness, modesty, and traditional values, particularly through the use of the kebaya as a key cultural symbol. The TikTok algorithm also strengthens the dissemination of content by encouraging visually appealing and trend-following videos, thereby reaching a wider audience. However, this dynamic also has the potential to lead to simplification and selectivity in the representation of cultural identity to fit the platform’s aesthetics. In conclusion, TikTok has become a participatory medium for the expression and construction of cultural identity, where traditional values ​​are reinterpreted in digital culture. The representation of Javanese women on this platform reflects a process of preservation and adaptation influenced by algorithmic logic.

Keywords:cultural identity, Javanese women, TikTok, digital culture, algorithm, kebaya, cultural representation.