Cultural identity, transmission, and preservation of the Kabasaran dance in Minahasa, Indonesia: a convergent mixed-methods study

<ns5:p> Background The Kabasaran dance is a Minahasan warrior dance whose historical evolution, from pre-colonial martial practice to ceremonial-administrative duty and contemporary performance, has been documented in a companion historical study. However, empirical evidence on the contemporary social conditions that sustain, or erode, its practice remains absent. This study examined how cultural identity, community engagement, perceived government support, and intergenerational transmission relate to practitioners’ intention to preserve the Kabasaran dance. Methods A convergent mixed-methods design was implemented in five Minahasan districts (February–June 2025). The quantitative strand comprised a cross-sectional survey of 120 active practitioners analysed with reliability estimation, Pearson correlations, and ordinary least squares regression with collinearity diagnostics. The qualitative strand comprised COREQ-informed semi-structured interviews with 15 knowledge-holders analysed through reflexive thematic analysis, complemented by structured non-participant observation of eight performance events. Strands were merged through a joint display. Results Preservation intention (M = 4.40 of 5) and cultural identity (M = 4.24) were high, whereas perceived government support fell below the scale midpoint (M = 2.73, p < 0.001). In the parsimonious regression model (R <ns5:sup>2</ns5:sup> = 0.94), intergenerational transmission showed the strongest positive association with preservation intention (β = 0.78), followed by community engagement (β = 0.26); perceived government support showed a small negative partial association (β = −0.16). Practitioners under 30 reported significantly lower transmission experiences (d = 0.75). Interviews yielded five themes: identity as lived inheritance, transmission barriers, community resilience, inconsistent institutional roles, and conditional optimism. Observations showed that ritual-embedded performances retained high movement fidelity and intergenerational participation, whereas stage and school adaptations were simplified and decontextualised. Conclusions Across all three strands, intergenerational transmission emerged as the pivotal correlate of preservation intention. The findings are associational, not causal, but they converge in indicating that safeguarding policy should prioritise elder–youth transmission infrastructure rather than performance sponsorship alone. </ns5:p>