Traditional games as indigenous knowledge for science learning

This study aims to explore educational values and scientific principles of traditional games from South Sulawesi, integrating them into science learning while highlighting their pedagogical potential. The exploration focuses on cultural practitioners, community elders, and educators across three major regions/ethnic groups in South Sulawesi that uphold cultural values. To ensure data accuracy, triangulation validation was conducted. The findings present five main themes: the history and origins of the games, their philosophical and pedagogical educational values, the meaning of movement and music, the scientific principles relevant to science education, and the challenges of cultural preservation. Overall, the results indicate that traditional games from South Sulawesi not only serve as cultural heritage and life guidelines, but can also be utilized as tools for teaching scientific concepts such as biology other science learning. This study provides a new framework that can be adapted in other regions rich in cultural traditions for science education. It also supports the development of inclusive and culturally relevant science education, aligning with global educational goals such as Sustainable Development Goal 4. However, the study also recommends the importance of systematic efforts to preserve traditional games amid the pressures of modernization through collaboration between the government, and educational institutions.

Indigenous · Modernization theory · Science education · Sociology of scientific knowledge · Traditional knowledge · Child Development and Education · Physical Education and Pedagogy · Physical education and sports games research