SEREN TAUN AS AN ADAPTIVE TRADITION

Abstract

Social change driven by modernization, globalization, and digital transformation has increasingly challenged the sustainability of indigenous communities by weakening collective identity, social solidarity, and traditional institutions. While previous studies have primarily examined indigenous rituals as cultural heritage or symbolic traditions, limited attention has been devoted to understanding their role as social institutions that foster social cohesion and community resilience. This study aims to explore how the Seren Taun tradition functions as an adaptive cultural institution that strengthens collective identity, reproduces social capital, promotes social cohesion, and enhances community resilience within the indigenous community of Kampung Urug, Bogor Regency, Indonesia. This study employed a qualitative ethnographic approach. Participants were selected using purposive and snowball sampling techniques involving customary leaders, elders, ritual organizers, community leaders, and younger community members actively participating in the Seren Taun tradition. Data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, field documentation, and document analysis. Data analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis procedures, including familiarization, coding, categorization, theme development, and interpretation. The findings reveal five interconnected themes. First, Seren Taun reinforces collective identity through the reproduction of cultural symbols and intergenerational value transmission. Second, the tradition reproduces social capital by strengthening mutual trust, reciprocity, and collective cooperation. Third, Seren Taun serves as a mechanism for social cohesion by creating inclusive participation and reinforcing community solidarity. Fourth, the tradition facilitates adaptive responses to modernization while maintaining indigenous cultural values. Finally, indigenous leadership functions as a cultural mediator that ensures the continuity of traditions amid social transformation. This study proposes an integrated conceptual model demonstrating that Seren Taun operates as an adaptive tradition linking collective identity, social capital, social cohesion, and community resilience. The findings contribute to the development of theories on social cohesion, indigenous resilience, and local wisdom while providing empirical evidence that cultural traditions function not merely as symbolic heritage but also as dynamic social institutions supporting sustainable community development