<![CDATA[Traditional sports are a type of physical activity that can support student engagement in Physical Education and help to preserve cultural values. However, the emergence of modern activities has led some students to have little knowledge and interest in traditional sports. The present study aims to analyze the motivation and interest of students in traditional sports in Physical Education learning. In this study, a qualitative method was used. The research informants were 14 students and one Physical Education, Sports and Health (PJOK) teacher, selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected through interviews and documentation and were analyzed descriptively to give an overview of the students’ motivation and interest in traditional sports. The results showed that students have high interest in traditional sports as shown in their enjoyment, attention, interest, concentration and willingness to participate in the activities. The students’ motivation was also expressed in terms of feelings of enjoyment, curiosity, satisfaction and desire to gain experience from participation in traditional sports. Besides the internal factors, the motivation and interest of students were reinforced by external factors like the encouragement from the Physical Education teacher, invitations from peers, rewards and the presence of school facilities. This means that traditional sports can be an alternative activity in the learning of Physical Education to increase student engagement while supporting the introduction and preservation of the culture through physical activities.]]>
