<![CDATA[Local wisdom is a means of character building that is deeply rooted in society; however, amid the tide of globalization, the younger generation tends to be more familiar with foreign cultures than with local traditions. This study aims to uncover the process of character internalization based on local wisdom through the cultural practice of Saro’an among the Muslim-Malay community in Temajuk Village, Paloh Subdistrict, Sambas Regency. The study employed a qualitative approach using Spradley’s ethnographic design, involving participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation of three primary informants (the neighborhood head, a religious leader, and the host of a community celebration) as well as two secondary informants, with triangulation of sources and techniques to ensure data validity. The results indicate that Saro’an unfolds through a series of stages gotong-royong, Pakatan and Hari Kaccik, Hari Basak and Dzikiran, Besurong, and finally Saprahan which collectively instill the values of care, reciprocity, respect for moral and religious authority, somatic etiquette, and social equality, while being rooted in Islamic teachings. These findings confirm that Saro’an internalizes the values of hierarchy and equality in a paired and mutually corrective manner within a single, complete ritual cycle-a relational pattern that has not been extensively explored in previous research. This understanding is crucial as a foundation for cultural preservation and the development of character education based on local wisdom in border regions. Abstrak Kearifan lokal merupakan sarana pembentukan karakter yang mengakar kuat dalam masyarakat, namun di tengah arus globalisasi generasi muda cenderung lebih mengenal budaya asing dibandingkan tradisi setempat. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengungkap proses internalisasi karakter berbasis kearifan lokal melalui praktik budaya Saro’an pada masyarakat Muslim-Melayu di Desa Temajuk, Kecamatan Paloh, Kabupaten Sambas. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan desain etnografi Spradley, melalui observasi partisipatif, wawancara semi terstruktur, dan dokumentasi terhadap tiga informan primer (ketua RT, tokoh agama, dan tuan rumah hajatan) serta dua informan sekunder, dengan triangulasi sumber dan teknik untuk menjamin keabsahan data. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Saro’an berlangsung dalam rangkaian tahap gotong-royong, Pakatan dan Hari Kaccik, Hari Basak dan Dzikiran, Besurong, hingga Saprahan yang secara bersamaan menanamkan nilai kepedulian, resiprositas, penghormatan pada otoritas moral-keagamaan, adab somatik, dan kesetaraan sosial, sekaligus berakar pada ajaran Islam. Temuan ini menegaskan bahwa Saro’an menginternalisasikan nilai hierarki dan kesetaraan secara berpasangan dan saling mengoreksi dalam satu siklus ritual yang utuh, sebuah pola relasional yang belum banyak diungkap penelitian terdahulu. Pemahaman ini penting sebagai dasar pelestarian budaya dan pengembangan pendidikan karakter berbasis kearifan lokal di wilayah perbatasan.]]>
