Pengabdian: Jurnal Abdimas
Vol. 4 No. 1 (2026)

Community Service Programs and Cultural Resilience: Revitalizing Indigenous Knowledge Systems

Rashid Rahman (Universiti Putra)
Zain Nizam (Universiti Malaysia Sarawak)
Rina Farah (Universiti Teknologi)
Nur Azizah (Politeknik Pajajaran ICB Bandung)



Article Info

Publish Date
20 Feb 2026

Abstract

Indigenous knowledge systems represent vital cultural resources that sustain community identity, social cohesion, and adaptive capacity, yet they face increasing erosion under the pressures of modernization and standardized development practices. Community service programs have been widely implemented as instruments of social engagement, although their role in strengthening cultural resilience and revitalizing indigenous knowledge remains insufficiently examined. This study aims to analyze how community service programs contribute to cultural resilience through the revitalization of indigenous knowledge systems within local communities. The research employs a qualitative approach grounded in participatory and interpretive frameworks, combining in-depth interviews, participant observation, and analysis of community service program documents. The findings reveal that community service programs foster cultural resilience when they are designed as participatory processes that recognize indigenous knowledge holders as central actors. Such programs facilitate intergenerational knowledge transmission, strengthen cultural pride, and support the adaptation of traditional practices to contemporary contexts. The results also indicate that cultural revitalization extends beyond preservation, functioning as an active process embedded in everyday social life. The study concludes that community service programs can serve as effective platforms for sustaining indigenous knowledge systems when they emphasize reciprocity, local agency, and cultural authority. These findings underscore the importance of culturally responsive community engagement in promoting sustainable and resilient development.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

abdimas

Publisher

Subject

Description

Pengabdian Jurnal Abdimas is one of the founding journals of Yayasan Pedidikan Islam Daarut Thufulah. Since 2023 the journal has provided a platform for high quality, Its a quarterly refereed journal concerned with the practice and processes of community engagement. It provides a forum for ...