Integrating Pinisi Indigenous Knowledge into Cultural-Based Curricula: An Ethnopedagogical Framework

Abstract

Pinisi shipbuilding, executed by the Panrita Lopi craftsmen of the Bugis-Makassar people in Tanah Beru, Bulukumba, incorporates sophisticated technical engineering with rich ritual, symbolic, and orally transmitted indigenous knowledge. Although recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017, its pedagogical dimension within formal educational systems remains systematically under-examined. Grounded in place-based pedagogy and ethnopedagogical theory, this descriptive qualitative study investigates the pedagogical values embedded in Pinisi construction and formulates a novel Maritime Ethnopedagogy Integration Model (MEIM) for formal curricula. Data was collected via non-participant observation, semi-structured interviews with 12 purposively selected informants (including 7 master Panrita Lopi, 3 community leaders, and 2 local educators), and archival documentation. Data analysis followed Miles and Huberman’s interactive model, incorporating double triangulation for trustworthiness. Findings indicate that the Sawerigading origin narrative and sequential technical-ritual stages—from determining auspicious days (anrangang nassabari) and timber selection to keel-laying, keel-joining (Annattara), rib assembly, and launching (Annyorong Lopi)—encode critical educational values encompassing environmental stewardship, contextual geometry, cooperative labor (gotong royong), and spiritual discipline. To mitigate the intergenerational transmission gap caused by modernizing pressures and external timber sourcing, this study constructs a structural model translating indigenous maritime domains into localized ethnoscience, contextual mathematics, and character education modules. These actionable pathways provide curriculum developers with a scalable framework for place-based educational policy and cultural preservation.