Makna Pendidikan Bagi Masyarakat Suku Asmat: Studi Etnografi
Keywords:
Indigenous education, Asmat tribe, cultural values, spirituality, modernization, local wisdom, culturally responsive educationAbstract
This study aims to explore the meaning, values, and functions of education among the Asmat people of Papua by examining the interrelation between indigenous and formal educational systems. For the Asmat community, education is not limited to academic learning but represents a holistic process of transmitting values, shaping identity, and strengthening spiritual relationships between humans, nature, and ancestors. Using a qualitative ethnographic approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and document analysis involving customary leaders, parents, teachers, and religious figures. Data were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, consisting of data reduction, display, and verification stages. The findings reveal that indigenous education serves as a living mechanism for social, moral, and spiritual learning that sustains communal harmony and ecological balance. Formal education, while recognized as a means of social transformation, continues to face structural barriers such as limited accessibility, infrastructure, and qualified teachers. These tensions between traditional and modern systems highlight the need for culturally responsive education that integrates local knowledge and spiritual values into formal curricula. This study is limited to the Asmat community in the Akat District; therefore, its generalization should be made cautiously. Nonetheless, it offers valuable insights for developing context-based educational policies that respect indigenous wisdom and spirituality in Papua.
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