Balancing Cultural Authenticity and Digital Reach in the Communication Ecology of Pampang Cultural Village
Rina Juwita, Ahmad Hidayah, Rosyid Nurrahman, Ziya Ibriza, Annisa Wahyuni Arsyad

Fakultas Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik, Universitas Mulawarman

Abstract

Digital media are now indispensable tools for heritage outreach and preservation yet also create tensions between enhancing visibility and protecting the sacred. Although literature has neglected how indigenous groups exert control over their digital narrative, this research examines how the Dayak Kenyah society of Pampang Cultural Village, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, manages the intersection of sacred and public storytelling in digitally mediated heritage practice. Based on a qualitative ethnographic case study -informed by in-depth interviews, participant observation, and analysis of cultural policy and digital content- we identify that the community applies a stratified content governance framework based on adat-based knowledge systems. Sacred components, including mourning rites and ancestral oral histories, are protected from public disclosure, while curated cultural expression -such as dance repertoires under communal intellectual property rights- are selectively performed through platforms like Instagram and TikTok. This participatory mediation practice is informed by communal consensus and formal policy protection. The research adds to contemporary discussion on digital heritage and narrative ethics by presenting a conceptual model of participatory content governance prioritizing indigenous narrative sovereignty and indicating avenues for cultural attentive engagement across similar heritage groups.

Keywords: cultural heritage, digital transformation, Dayak Kenyah, indigenous communication, narrative negotiation

Topic: Digital Communication for Inclusive Societies