Guarding The Tomb, Negotiating Meaning: Social Dynamics In The Maintenance Of The Pilgrimage Tradition At The Tomb Of Sheikh Jamaluddin Al-Akbar Al-Husaini In Tosora, Wajo

Abstract

The tomb believed to be that of Sheikh Jamaluddin al-Akbar al-Husaini in the Old Mosque complex of Tosora, Wajo Regency, remains a pilgrimage destination despite disputed identity. This article analyses the social dynamics sustaining the pilgrimage tradition: how claims about the tomb’s identity are constructed, how the village government, the caretaker, and wider institutions maintain it, and how pilgrims’ spiritual experiences are narrated. This qualitative case study uses source and method triangulation: in-depth interviews with the village head and the tomb caretaker (25 September 2026), field observation, and document analysis of archaeological-philological studies, an eyewitness account, and news reports. Data were analysed thematically. Three interrelated arenas emerge: (1) authentication, where the tomb’s identity is shaped through genealogy, scholarly networks, and material signs; (2) care, where the village government and the caretaker maintain the site and host visitors, supported by state recognition; and (3) experience, where a sense of presence and a fragrant scent are narrated as spiritual experiences reinforcing belief. The tradition is sustained more by the mutual reinforcement of these arenas than by historical verification. This exploratory study relies on two informants and excludes pilgrims’ voices. It shows that authenticity of a pilgrimage site is a negotiated social achievement.