Embodied cultural pedagogy through Tari Paraga: enhancing students' moral awareness, collaborative skills, and cultural identity in Physical Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v80.119511Keywords:
Collaborative skills, cultural identity, embodied learning, moral awareness, Physical Education, Siri' na Pacce, Tari ParagaAbstract
Introduction: Traditional performing arts hold significant untapped pedagogical potential within Physical Education (PE) contexts. Tari Paraga, a traditional Bugis-Makassar martial art dance from South Sulawesi, Indonesia, integrates rhythmic movement, cooperative performance, and embodied cultural values, offering a rich experiential space for moral and character development.
Objective: This study aimed to develop and evaluate an embodied cultural pedagogy program integrating Tari Paraga into PE to enhance students' moral awareness, collaborative skills, and cultural identity.
Methodology: A mixed-method design was employed involving 112 lower-secondary students across three public schools in Makassar who participated in an eight-week intervention. The program integrated traditional Paraga movement sequences, cooperative ensemble practice, and reflective cultural discussions grounded in the Siri' na Pacce philosophy. Quantitative data were collected using validated moral awareness, collaborative skills, and cultural identity scales, complemented by qualitative journals and semi-structured interviews.
Results: Paired-sample t-tests revealed statistically significant improvements in moral awareness (t(111) = 13.12, p < .001, d = 1.21), collaborative skills (t(111) = 12.67, p < .001, d = 1.17), and cultural identity (t(111) = 14.03, p < .001, d = 1.29). Qualitative findings revealed heightened self-regulation, strengthened intercultural empathy, and a renewed sense of cultural pride.
Discussion: These findings align with ecopedagogical and embodied learning theories and extend them into the domain of intangible cultural heritage. Tari Paraga functioned as a living pedagogical text through which moral values, cooperative norms, and cultural belonging were simultaneously enacted and internalized.
Conclusions: Integrating Tari Paraga into PE offers a culturally grounded, holistic model for developing moral character, social cooperation, and cultural identity, contributing to the broader movement toward place-based and culturally responsive pedagogy in Southeast Asia.
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