Abstract: Amidst the aggressive wave of globalization and the risk of monolithic value standardization, the world of education faces a serious challenge in the form of cultural alienation among students. Education is often trapped in the pursuit of technical dexterity and global rankings while ignoring the sociocultural foundations on which these institutions stand. This study aims to explore strategies for integrating local wisdom into formal education curricula as an instrument for strengthening students' identity and moral compass. This study uses a library research design with a qualitative-descriptive approach with a philosophical-pedagogical orientation. Data are sourced from educational policy documents (the Independent Curriculum), the philosophical text Lontara Turatea, and reputable scientific literature relevant to developmental psychology and educational theory. Analysis is conducted using content and thematic analysis techniques to synthesize modern educational theory with local values. Research findings indicate that Turatea's philosophical values, such as Siri' na Pacce (integrity and empathy), Acca na Lempu (intelligence and honesty), and Tangngammono (resilience), have a very strong organic relevance to 21st-century competencies. The integration of these values through the Cultural Scaffolding method (Vygotsky) and the strengthening of the Mesosystem (Bronfenbrenner) has proven to be able to break down the barriers between schools and students' social realities. This process transforms abstract material into functional and applicable knowledge through the utilization of local contexts such as agrarian and coastal economies. Internalization of local wisdom does not trigger narrow ethnocentrism, but instead strengthens national identity and increases students' self-esteem through the Global Mindset, Local Punch paradigm. The local culture-based curriculum serves as a moral anchor that equips students with cultural resilience, so they are able to compete in the global arena without losing their identity.
Keywords: Culture-Based Curriculum, Turatea Local Wisdom, Student Identity, 21st Century Competencies, Cultural Resilience.
Title: The Relevance of Local Culture-Based Curriculum Development in Shaping Student Identity
Author: Ida Maiyanti A. Rajamuddin
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
Vol. 14, Issue 2, April 2026 - June 2026
Page No: 270-277
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 27-May-2026
