Intergenerational learning in the Baduy community: Family literacy through an intergenerational learning approach

Abstract

Research on intergenerational learning and family literacy has expanded considerably over recent decades. However, these fields have largely developed independently, particularly within Indigenous communities where knowledge transmission occurs through cultural participation rather than formal educational institutions. This study aims to examine how intergenerational learning contributes to the formation of family literacy within the Baduy community and to develop a culturally grounded understanding of literacy based on Indigenous learning practices. An ethnographic approach was employed in the Baduy community of Kanekes Village, Lebak Regency, Banten Province, Indonesia. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation involving customary leaders, parents, and children. Data analysis followed Spradley’s ethnographic framework, including domain, taxonomic, componential, and cultural theme analysis. The findings indicate that intergenerational learning serves as the primary mechanism for transmitting knowledge, practical skills, cultural values, and social norms across generations through observation, participation, imitation, and oral communication. Family literacy is embedded in cultural participation, oral traditions, symbolic communication, and experiential learning rather than solely in text-based practices. In conclusion, family literacy in the Baduy community is formed through culturally embedded intergenerational learning processes that sustain local knowledge and cultural identity. This study contributes by integrating intergenerational learning and family literacy into a unified analytical framework and highlights the importance of families and communities as central sites of lifelong learning within Indigenous contexts.