Belom Bahadat and the future of a sustainable COVID-19 response in Indonesia

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that the response to a public health crisis depends not only on government policies and healthcare system capacity but also on the social and cultural values of the community. The Belom Bahadat philosophy of the Dayak Ngaju people emphasizes the spirit of mutual cooperation ( gotong royong ), mutual respect, equality, responsibility, and care for others. This study aims to understand the significance of Belom Bahadat regarding COVID-19 vaccination behavior and to interpret its connections to the second principle of Pancasila, Talcott Parsons’ AGIL scheme, and SDGs 3, 11, and 13. A qualitative approach was employed, involving interviews with five members of the Dayak Ngaju community in Palangka Raya City. Interview transcripts were analyzed thematically and interpreted through the AGIL framework. The results indicate that Belom Bahadat can be understood as a socio-cultural resource that fosters solidarity, collective responsibility, protection of family and community, and adaptability in the face of crisis. However, vaccination behavior is also influenced by government recommendations, workplace and travel requirements, social influence, risk perception, and understanding of vaccine safety and efficacy. These findings suggest that local values have the potential to complement culturally sensitive health governance and communication. Conceptually, this study links Belom Bahadat , AGIL, Pancasila, and the SDGs by integrating qualitative insights gained from conversations with the five participants. The connection to SDG 13 is presented as a conceptual link regarding adaptation and resilience, rather than as empirical evidence of climate action measures.