INTEGRATION OF LOCAL WISDOM IN SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION: AN ETHNOPEDAGOGICAL MODEL FROM KAMPUNG NAGA

Abstract

This study examines the integration of local wisdom values from the Kampung Naga indigenous community into sustainability education through an ethnopedagogical lens. Using a qualitative ethnographic approach, data were collected through participatory observation, in-depth interviews with traditional leaders, elders, and youth representatives, and document analysis. The findings reveal three interconnected core values forming the community’s socio-ecological system: tata wayah (time management based on natural cycles), tata lampah (behavioral ethics emphasizing simplicity and responsibility), and tata wilayah (spatial governance based on ecological and spiritual functions). These values are transmitted through five mechanisms: family socialization, customary leadership and ritual, oral tradition, collective participation, and spatial experience. The study proposes an ethnopedagogical model integrating these values into Social Studies and environmental education through experiential learning, place-based pedagogy, and intergenerational knowledge transmission. The model develops temporal and ecological literacy, environmental ethics, social responsibility, spatial literacy, and an understanding of conservation while aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly food security, responsible consumption, and the preservation of terrestrial ecosystems. This research positions Kampung Naga’s local wisdom as a culturally grounded model for sustainability education with significant implications for curriculum development, teacher preparation, and community-based learning in the Asia-Pacific context.