<![CDATA[Character education in elementary schools often faces challenges due to its conventional and incidental implementation, leading to low moral retention among students. This study aims to examine the implementation of a local content character education curriculum based on the Buginese Siri' culture at an elementary school in Bone Regency, explicitly exploring its implementation patterns, teacher challenges, and internalized values. This study employed a qualitative approach with a Grounded Theory design. Data were collected at SD Negeri 185 Mario through in-depth interviews, direct observations, and documentation involving the principal, a fifth-grade teacher, and students, and were analyzed systematically using open, axial, and selective coding. The findings reveal a significant pedagogical shift from spontaneous, teacher-centered moral lectures which often resulted in student boredom and time allocation conflicts to a structured curriculum utilizing specific textbooks and audio-visual media. This student-centered approach successfully transformed abstract philosophical concepts into practical ethical boundaries. Furthermore, the study confirmed the successful internalization of three core Siri' values in students' daily behavior: Masiri' (ethical awareness and constructive shame for wrongdoing), Sipakatau (humanizing and respecting peers during social interactions), and Sipakalebbi (honoring others through collaborative classroom agreements). The findings suggest that integrating Siri’ cultural values into a structured local content curriculum can provide a contextual framework for character education and support the manifestation of local cultural values in students’ everyday classroom practices.]]>
