Reconnecting the rural periphery and indigenous sago culture through tourism

Abstract

Appreciation of cultural practices related to sago by indigenous peoples in the framework of rural development in Indonesia is still very limited. Rural development is currently based more on a modernization approach that focuses on economic growth with outsider control that results in massive industrial development without considering the conditions of the region, socio-culture, and the environment, including the neglect of indigenous peoples. This paper aims to critique the sago-based rural development approach and provide perspective on how indigenous tourism can be an alternative in supporting rural development by focusing on sustainable pillars and, at the same time, restoring lost connections through indigenous ways.