Islam and Ideologies of War, Gender and Class as Determinants of Musical Identity in Twentieth Century Aceh, Indonesia

In the colonial and postcolonial periods, the natural wealth and strategic location of Aceh province brought it fame, foreign contact and frequent war, yet its cultural expressions - which can help explain Acehnese behaviour and the current war situation - are poorly known. Aceh's musical identity is determined by intersections between the music's internal syntax and extramusical associations arising from ideologies and functions of religion, combat, gender and class; history of noble and religious leadership; and social change. New theories are presented that relate musical style to the ideologies and explain the performing arts' fusion of indigenous, Arabic and other foreign elements.