Cultivating Gen-Z As Cultural Heirs In The Indigenous Community Of Cireundeu

How do Indigenous leaders teach digital-native youth to value centuries-old traditions? This six-month ethnographic study examined cultural transmission in Cireundeu, an Indigenous Sundanese community in West Java, Indonesia. Existing studies often address Indigenous education and digital youth culture separately, with limited attention to leaders’ perspectives. Conducted from June to November 2024, the study drew on participant observation, interviews with 25 community members, six focus group discussions, and digital artifact analysis. Reflexive thematic analysis identified three interconnected patterns. First, leaders fostered cultural learning through graduated ceremonial participation. Second, elders practiced leader-orchestrated digital bricolage by adapting Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp for cultural transmission while maintaining authority over cultural meanings. Third, distributed guardianship networks extended cultural teaching beyond parents to the wider community. Most youth reported that digital engagement increased their cultural interest. The findings challenge technological determinism and deficit narratives that portray Indigenous youth as detached from tradition. They show that Gen Z youth can become both cultural heirs and digital innovators when communities strategically govern technology use.