Institutionalizing Pawongan: A Local Wisdom-Based Framework for Preventing Social Conflict in Multicultural Bali
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15575/rjsalb.v9i1.35559Keywords:
Community-based governance, local wisdom, multicultural conflict prevention, pawongan, Tri Hita KaranaAbstract
This study aims to examine the role of pawongan—a principle of interpersonal harmony in the Tri Hita Karana philosophy—as a local wisdom-based mechanism for preventing social conflict in Bali’s multicultural society. The urgency of this research lies in the rising identity-based tensions across Indonesia, which require conflict prevention strategies that do not solely rely on institutional or coercive approaches but instead draw from cultural values. This study employs a qualitative method with a library research design. The data consist of secondary sources such as peer-reviewed journal articles, academic books, policy documents, and relevant research reports. The data collection process followed a systematic procedure that included identifying key concepts, selecting primary literature on pawongan and Tri Hita Karana, and conducting thematic and narrative synthesis of the findings. The results reveal that pawongan has been actualized through four main strategies: first, the socialization of customary norms and rituals such as matatah and ngejot jerimpen; second, the promotion of interreligious tolerance by traditional and religious leaders; third, the integration of pawongan values into education and interfaith forums; and fourth, the revitalization of communal solidarity through customary institutional structures. These strategies demonstrate that pawongan is not merely a normative teaching, but a functional framework for community-based peace governance. The findings reaffirm the relevance of local wisdom in shaping inclusive conflict prevention policies and sustainable peacebuilding. The originality of this research lies in its reinterpretation of pawongan as an institutionalized and context-specific value model that contributes a new perspective to the discourse on conflict resolution in Southeast Asia.
References
Adhitama, S. (2020). Konsep Tri Hita Karana dalam Ajaran Kepercayaan Budi Daya. Dharmasmrti: Jurnal Ilmu Agama Dan Kebudayaan, 20(2), 29–45. doi: https://doi.org/10.32795/ds.v20i2.1020
Affandi, L. H., Sutajaya, I. M., & Suja, I. W. (2022). Aktualisasi Nilai Pawongan dalam Ajaran Tri Hita Karana pada Pengembangan Komunitas Belajar Profesional Bagi Guru. Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Citra Bakti, 9(1), 62–75. doi: https://doi.org/10.38048/jipcb.v9i1.650
Ali, H., & Candrasari, R. (2019). Preservation of local genius culture as efforts to maintain nation existence. International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering.
Alzate, M., & Dono, M. (2017). Reconciliación Social como estrategia para la transformación de los conflictos socio-políticos, variables asociadas e instrumentos de medición. Universitas Psychologica, 16(3), 1. doi: https://doi.org/10.11144/Javeriana.upsy16-3.rset
Amal, M. (2020). Towards a deliberative conflict resolution? A reflection on state inclusive response to Sunni-Shi’a tension in Indonesia’s democracy. Qijis (Qudus International Journal of Islamic Studies), 8(2), 226. doi: https://doi.org/10.21043/qijis.v8i2.7146
Amaliah, T. H. (2016). Nilai-Nilai Budaya Tri Hita Karana dalam Penetapan Harga Jual. Jurnal Akuntansi Multiparadigma. doi: https://doi.org/10.18202/jamal.2016.08.7016
Azis, I. J., & Pratama, A. (2020). Polarization and Local Conflicts in Post Decentralization Indonesia. Peace Economics, Peace Science and Public Policy, 26(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.1515/peps-2019-0050
Berents, H. (2024). Everyday Peace. In Routledge Handbook of Peacebuilding (pp. 325–334). London: Routledge. doi: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003293408-32
Bokar, L., Sells, J. N., Giordano, F., & Tollerud, T. (2011). The Validity of the Relational Conflict Model. The Family Journal, 19(1), 7–14. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480710387250
Daneshpour, M. (2025). Couples therapy and the challenges of building trust, fairness, and justice. Family Process, 64(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.13072
Diah Yuniti, I. G. A., Wahyuni, A. A. A. R., Tirtawati, A. A. R., Suryathi, N. W., & Surya Putra, I. G. A. C. (2022). Filosopi Kearifan Lokal Tri Hita Karana Dalam Menjaga Kelangsungan Kelompok Wanita Tani “Jempiring” Kabupaten Badung. Jurnal Penelitian Agama Hindu, 79–88. doi: https://doi.org/10.37329/jpah.v0i0.1618
Ebert, A., & Goodwin, D. L. (2020). Sand in the Shorts: Experiences of Moral Discomfort in Adapted Physical Activity Professional Practice. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 37(2), 193–210. doi: https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.2019-0059
Eko, B. S., & Putranto, H. (2021). Face negotiation strategy based on local wisdom and intercultural competence to promote inter-ethnic conflict resolution: Case study of Balinuraga, Lampung. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/17475759.2021.1898450
Emalasari, N. P. A., & Wulandari, I. G. A. A. (2022). Penerapan Pembiasaan Tri Hita Karana untuk Meningkatkan Pendidikan Karakter Gotong Royong Siswa SD. Jurnal Ilmiah Universitas Batanghari Jambi, 22(3), 1560. doi: https://doi.org/10.33087/jiubj.v22i3.2578
Fisher, R. J. (2018). Social-Psychological Processes in Interactive Conflict Analysis and Reconciliation 1. In Conflict Resolution: Dynamics, Process and Structure (pp. 81–104). Routledge. doi: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429444142-4
Garcia, A. C., & Cleven, E. (2024). How Reflection Works in Transformative Dialogue/Mediation: A Preliminary Investigation. Qualitative Sociology Review, 20(2), 90–113. doi: https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8077.20.2.05
Hanip, S. P. N., & Diana, R. R. (2022). Keharmonisan beragama berbasis adat Tapsila: Studi pada masyarakat Sasak Islam dan Buddha di Lombok. Jurnal Masyarakat Dan Budaya, 24(2), 171–185. doi: https://doi.org/10.55981/jmb.2022.1528
Hasibuan, J. (2022). Distingsi Pengelolaan Konflik Papua yang Tidak Pernah Selesai. ASKETIK, 6(1), 69–84. doi: https://doi.org/10.30762/asketik.v6i1.189
Hennink, M., Hutter, I., & Bailey, A. (2020). Qualitative research methods. New York: Sage.
Indra, Nazara, S., Hartono, D., & Sumarto, S. (2019). Roles of Income Polarization, Income Inequality and Ethnic Fractionalization in Social Conflicts: An Empirical Study of Indonesian Provinces, 2002–2012. Asian Economic Journal, 33(2), 165–190. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/asej.12179
Iskandar, S., & Heri Kurniawansyah, H. S. (2023). Inter - Ethnical Conflict in Multiple Societies in Indonesia: A Socio-cultural Overview. In Proceedings of the 3rd Annual Conference of Education and Social Sciences (ACCESS 2021) (pp. 351–358). Paris: Atlantis Press SARL. doi: https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-494069-21-3_38
Kaswandi, K., Fayyaza, A., Mansyah, M. S., Karim, L. O. M., & Priadi, R. N. A. (2025). Local wisdom: As a primary approach to maintaining beach cleanliness and ecosystem sustainability. BIO Web of Conferences, 180, 02004. doi: https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/202518002004
Koentjaraningrat. (1980). Manusia dan Kebudayaan di Indonesia. Jakarta: Djambatan.
Lestari, N. A. P., I Made Sutajaya, & I Wayan Suja. (2024). Membentuk Karakter Siswa di Sekolah Dasar Dengan Menerapkan Konsep Tri Hita Karana. Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Citra Bakti, 11(1), 139–151. doi: https://doi.org/10.38048/jipcb.v11i1.2389
Mac Ginty, R. (2014). Everyday peace: Bottom-up and local agency in conflict-affected societies. Security Dialogue, 45(6), 548–564. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0967010614550899
Maya, C. (2025). Nangun Sat Kerthi Loka Bali: Implementasikan “Pawongan”, banjar Beraban Dukung “Matatah” Massal. Bali Post. Retrieved from https://www.balipost.com/news/2025/07/18/473694/Implementasikan-Pawongan,Banjar-Beraban-Dukung...html
Nabatchi, T., Ertinger, E., & Leighninger, M. (2015). The Future of Public Participation: Better Design, Better Laws, Better Systems. Conflict Resolution Quarterly, 33(S1). doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/crq.21142
Njeri, S. (2022). Everyday peacebuilding and practices in Kenya, South Sudan, Somaliland and Ghana: introduction. Journal of the British Academy, 10s1, 1–9. doi: https://doi.org/10.5871/jba/010s1.001
Pamungkas, J., Harun, H., & Manaf, A. (2023). A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Group Contrasts: Learning Model Based on Local Cultural Wisdom and Student Learning Outcomes. International Journal of Instruction, 16(2), 53–70. doi: https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2023.1624a
Paramita, I. B. G. (2025). Integrasi kearifan lokal Tri Hita Karana dalam pengelolaan pariwisata berkelanjutan: Studi kasus Desa Penglipuran, Bali. Cultoure: Jurnal Ilmiah Pariwisata Budaya Hindu, 6(1), 63–74.
Pramada, I. G. Y., Mariasa, I. N., & Trisakti, T. (2022). Implementasi Ajaran Tri Hita Karana pada Ritual Aci Sanghyang Grodog di Desa Lembongan Klungkung Bali. Panggung, 32(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.26742/panggung.v32i2.1712
Rahmawati, N. N. (2020). The existence of Balinese culture in the middle of cultural diversity in Tangkiling Village, Palangka Raya, Central of Kalimantan. Jurnal Kajian Bali.
Rauf, H. (2024). Meningkatnya Konflik Sosial, 281 Selama 2023. RRI.Co.Id. Retrieved from https://rri.co.id/hukum/739924/meningkatnya-konflik-sosial-281-selama-2023
Sahar, A. N., Pageh, I. M., & Mudana, I. W. (2022). Kehidupan Bertoleransi di Kampung Islam Kepaon Bali dalam Perspektif Tri Hita Karana sebagai Sumber Belajar IPS di SMP/MTs. Media Komunikasi FPIPS, 21(2), 166–179. doi: https://doi.org/10.23887/mkfis.v21i2.50258
Sastrawan, K. B., & Giri, I. M. A. (2023). Pawongan Sebagai Konsep Multikultur Dalam Ajaran Agama Hindu Di Bali. Purwadita : Jurnal Agama Dan Budaya, 7(1), 9. doi: https://doi.org/10.55115/purwadita.v7i1.3025
Sells, J. N., Beckenbach, J., & Patrick, S. (2009). Pain and Defense Versus Grace and Justice: The Relational Conflict and Restoration Model. The Family Journal, 17(3), 203–212. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480709337802
Shaw, E. (2011). Relational Ethics and Moral Imagination in Contemporary Systemic Practice. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 32(1), 1–14. doi: https://doi.org/10.1375/anft.32.1.1
Sillars, A. L., & Canary, D. J. (2012). Conflict and relational quality in families. In A. L. Vangelisti (Ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Family Communication (pp. 147–163). Routledge.
Siu, O. C., & Sutawan, K. (2023). Mahayana Ritual Services Associates to Learning Interests of Buddhist Lay People in The Buddhist Monastery. Journal of Education, Religious, and Instructions (JoERI), 1(1), 10–18.
Skarlato, O. (2021). Collaborative Environmental Conflict Resolution Practices in the North American Great Lakes Region. In The Palgrave Handbook of Positive Peace (pp. 1–21). Singapore: Springer Singapore. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3877-3_45-1
Sommet, N., Darnon, C., Mugny, G., Quiamzade, A., Pulfrey, C., Dompnier, B., & Butera, F. (2014). Performance goals in conflictual social interactions: Towards the distinction between two modes of relational conflict regulation. British Journal of Social Psychology, 53(1), 134–153. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12015
Sridana, I. P. G., Windia, I. W. P., Suarka, I. N., & Beratha, N. L. S. (2024). Harmony and Tensions Between Desa Adat and The Bali Provincial Government: Exploring Implications of Regulation on Customary Village of 2019. Jurnal Kajian Bali (Journal of Bali Studies), 14(2), 567. doi: https://doi.org/10.24843/JKB.2024.v14.i02.p12
Sudiarta, I. N., & Suardana, I. W. (2016). Tourism destination planning strategy: analysis and implementation of marketing city tour in Bali. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 227, 664–670.
Sugiarto, J., Gaol, R. F., & Litaay, S. G. (2022). Imago Dei sebagai Suatu Relasi: Analisis tentang Dampak Dosa terhadap Gambar dan Rupa Allah. HUPERETES: Jurnal Teologi Dan Pendidikan Kristen, 3(2), 138–147. doi: https://doi.org/10.46817/huperetes.v3i2.116
Sukedana, P. (2023). “Ngejot Jerimpen”, Aplikasi Pawongan yang Humanis, Toleran, dan Pluralis di Desa Adat Kelampuak, Tamblang. Tatkala.Co. Retrieved from https://tatkala.co/2023/01/07/ngejot-jerimpen-aplikasi-pawongan-yang-humanis-toleran-dan-pluralis-di-desa-adat-kelampuak-tamblang/
Sumarmi, Wahyuningtyas, N., Sahrina, A., & Mutia, T. (2022). Analysis of the potential bamboo forest as an effort towards local wisdom-based ecotourism in sustainable spring conservation. Journal of Ecology and Environment, 46, 14. doi: https://doi.org/10.5141/jee.22.032
Surahman, E., Satrio, A., & Sofyan, H. (2020). Kajian Teori Dalam Penelitian. JKTP: Jurnal Kajian Teknologi Pendidikan, 3(1), 49–58. doi: https://doi.org/10.17977/um038v3i12019p049
Syahriyah, U. U., & Zahid, A. (2022). Konsep Memanusiakan Alam dalam Kosmologi Tri Hita Karana. Panangkaran: Jurnal Penelitian Agama Dan Masyarakat, 6(1), 1–23. doi: https://doi.org/10.14421/panangkaran.v6i1.2754
Tadjoeddin, M. Z., Yumna, A., Gultom, S. E., Rakhmadi, M. F., & Suryahadi, A. (2021). Inequality and violent conflict: new evidence from selected provinces in Post-Soeharto Indonesia. Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, 26(3), 552–573. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/13547860.2020.1773607
Titahelu, J. A. S. (2023). Upaya Hukum Dalam Penyelesaian Konflik Kejahatan Genosida Antara Warga Dusun Ori dengan Warga Negeri Kariu. Jurnal Pembangunan Hukum Indonesia, 5(2), 307–324. doi: https://doi.org/10.14710/jphi.v5i2.307-324
Utama, K. W., Sukmadewi, Y. D., Saraswati, R., & Putrijanti, A. (2022). Tragedi Kanjuruhan dan Penyalahgunaan Wewenang dalam Pelaksanaan Prosedur Administrasi Negara. Masalah-Masalah Hukum, 51(4), 414–421. doi: https://doi.org/10.14710/mmh.51.4.2022.414-421
Väyrynen, R. (2019). From conflict resolution to conflict transformation: A critical review. In The New Agenda for Peace Research. doi: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429441745-10
Wardhani, D. F., Arisanty, D., Nugroho, A., & Utami, U. B. L. (2023). The Local Wisdom of the Paramasan Dayak Tribe in Environmental Management. Environment and Ecology Research, 11(5), 859–872. doi: https://doi.org/10.13189/eer.2023.110514
Ware, A. (2023). Conflict sensitivity/Do No Harm (DNH) through an everyday peace lens: analysing a Rohingya–Rakhine program in Myanmar. Development in Practice, 33(5), 548–559. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2023.2170330
Ware, A., & Ware, V.-A. (2022). Everyday peace: rethinking typologies of social practice and local agency. Peacebuilding, 10(3), 222–241. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/21647259.2021.1997387
Wasistha, I. N. A., Pageh, I. M., & Yasa, I. W. P. (2022). Toleransi Nyama Bali-Nyama Selam Di Desa Bukit, Karangasem, Bali Dan Potensinya Sebagai Sumber Belajar Sejarah Di SMA. Widya Winayata : Jurnal Pendidikan Sejarah, 10(2), 43–57. doi: https://doi.org/10.23887/jjps.v10i2.43561
Widen, K. (2024). Local Wisdom-Based Tourism Development Model Through Exploration of Dayak Culture at the Isen Mulang Cultural Festival in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences (PJLSS), 22(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.57239/PJLSS-2024-22.2.00637
Wolf, E. (2021). How Policy Institutions Filter Conflict: The (De)Escalation of Policy Conflict through Closing Down or Opening Up the Space for Contestation. Built Environment, 47(1), 56–74. doi: https://doi.org/10.2148/benv.47.1.56
Yanti, K. H. (2024). Implementasi Konsep Pawongan Dalam Membangun Kerukunan Umat Beragama Di Kabupaten Buleleng. Widya Sandhi: Jurnal Kajian Agama, Sosial Dan Budaya, 15(02), 109–122. doi: https://doi.org/10.53977/ws.v15i02.1906
Yasa, I. W. P. (2020). Tri Hita Karana untuk Pencegahan COVID-19 di Bali. Jurnal Socius: Journal of Sociology Research and Education, 7(1), 54. doi: https://doi.org/10.24036/scs.v7i1.176
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Imanuel Adhitya Wulanata Chrismastianto
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.