Young people in regional areas of Indonesia are attending school longer, aspiring for degrees and jobs outside of their home community, and learning less about their cultural traditions. In Poso, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, a youth program called Jelajah Budaya, or Culture Exploration, aims to reconnect young people with regional cultural values, motivating them to become actors in preserving their traditions and for positive development. This paper examines the impacts of this program, along with Poso youth identity and aspirations more generally.
The project explored these issues with young people in Poso through focus group discussions and Photovoice workshops. Interviews were also conducted with parents, cultural and local leaders, and youth program staff.
Participants shared appreciation for how Jelajah Budaya has brought together youth from a wide range of Poso communities, building pride and awareness about regional cultural values.
Still, insights from youth participants suggest that building awareness about cultural traditions may not directly translate to community-oriented aspirations or youth seeing their own role in their community's future.
The project suggests that Jelajah Budaya should look to engage more directly with youth identities, including as individuals, and to demonstrate the relevance of the region's cultural traditions.
Poso youth articulate their identities primarily through communal connections. While they are influenced by the normative ideals of becoming educated and modern, many also have ambitions related to entrepreneurship and some aspire to create jobs in their communities. These insights also echo other studies which demonstrate that regional identity should receive greater attention.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc2356161 |
| Date | 07 1900 |
| Creators | Ellis, Steven Douglas |
| Contributors | Carrington, Jara M., Nelson, Andrew, Minza, Wenty Marina |
| Publisher | University of North Texas |
| Source Sets | University of North Texas |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | Text |
| Rights | Public, Ellis, Steven Douglas, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights Reserved. |
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