Perubahan Sosial Ekonomi pada Masyarakat Adat Sub Suku Batom

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the forms of socio-economic change in the indigenous community of the Batom Sub-Tribe in Batom District, Pegunungan Bintang Regency, identify the factors influencing it, and explain its impact on the social structure, cultural values, and daily life of the community. These social changes are triggered by infrastructure development, improved access to education, globalization, and the spread of Christianity, which have shifted the economy from a subsistence-based system to a market economy. The research method used is a qualitative approach with participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation techniques. Informants were selected purposively, consisting of traditional leaders, village officials, religious leaders, and the general public. The results of the study show that there has been a significant shift in the social structure of the Batom Sub-Tribe, particularly in terms of gender roles, belief systems, and intergenerational relationships. The community has begun to adopt a money-based economic system and the service sector, replacing the traditional barter and agricultural systems. Cultural values such as traditional rituals and kinship are still preserved, but have undergone hybridization due to external influences. The discussion highlights the dilemma between cultural preservation and the need to adapt to modernity. This study recommends a culture-based and participatory policy approach to support the sustainability of indigenous community identity amid rapid socio-economic changes.