"Purpose: This research examines how the Sekapur Sirih Dance, viewed through Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital, operates within government protocol to shape organizational identity and support public sector governance in Jambi Province.
Research Methodology: A descriptive qualitative single case study was adopted. Data were gathered through documentary review, literature exploration, direct observation of protocol-based cultural events, and media content analysis, then processed in NVivo 15 using open, axial, and selective coding. Credibility was strengthened through source triangulation and an audit trail.
Results:The dance has evolved beyond its ceremonial origins into a deliberate instrument of governmental self-representation. It is institutionally integrated into formal state occasions to project cultural legitimacy and construct a positive public image, with culture-driven representational strategies accounting for 56.25% of observed protocol approaches.
Conclusions: The dance constitutes a meaningful form of cultural capital in Jambi’s governance, as it preserves Jambi Malay heritage, bolsters institutional authority, and serves as a medium of regional soft diplomacy.
Limitations: The study is limited to Jambi Province and lacks quantitative or comparative dimensions, so its findings offer analytic rather than statistical transferability.
Contributions: These findings enrich scholarship on public administration, organizational governance, and cultural policy by showing, through a Bourdieusian lens, how intangible cultural heritage can be mobilized for institutional representation and diplomatic engagement at the local government level."