Cultural Negotiation of Digital Technology Adoption Among the Baduy Community: Indigenous Communication in the Era of Digital Immigrants and Sustainable Development

University Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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Abstract

This study investigates how the Baduy community in Kanekes, Indonesia a culturally resilient indigenous group selectively adopts digital technology amidst increasing social transformation. Despite extensive discussions on digitalization in rural and urban settings, research on how high-context indigenous societies negotiate digital change as digital immigrants remains limited. Using a qualitative single case study approach, drawing on in-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis, this study examines how digital technology is filtered, negotiated, and culturally regulated within Baduy Dalam and Baduy Luar. Findings reveal that technology is adopted primarily for functional purposes such as communication and small-scale economic exchange, while practices considered disruptive to cultural integrity are restricted through customary mechanisms, including periodic device inspections, community sanctions, and routine cultural briefings. Generational differences further shape the adoption pattern: younger Baduy engage more actively in digital interaction, whereas elders maintain deliberate distance to preserve spiritual values and ecological harmony. Interpreted through Hall’s high-context communication framework, the study shows that digital media often clashes with implicit cultural norms, leading to selective resistance rather than full rejection. These findings contribute to discussions on sustainable social transformation by demonstrating that indigenous communities develop their own culturally grounded pathways toward digital adaptation preserving identity while cautiously navigating technological change.