<![CDATA[Frontline health communication is central to stunting prevention, yet linguistically accessible messages do not inherently guarantee substantive understanding. This study examines communication barriers in education concerning the first 1,000 days of life and conceptualizes Sipakatau—a culturally grounded Bugis relational principle—as a mechanism for equitable frontline communication in Ajangale District, Indonesia. Employing a qualitative case study design, empirical data were collected through semi-structured interviews and non-participant observations with 15 purposively selected informants, including street-level health personnel, mothers, pregnant women, and community figures. The findings reveal that while frontline workers successfully adapted biomedical terminology using local linguistic expressions, verified comprehension remained contingent upon interactive clarification. Furthermore, Sipakatau functioned significantly beyond generic politeness; it operated as a form of relational discretion that minimized institutional asymmetry and enabled marginalized service users to safely articulate uncertainties. This study contributes to the literature of street-level bureaucracy and public health administration by distinguishing accessible message delivery from verified understanding, ultimately positioning culturally grounded relational engagement as a core determinant of frontline service quality.]]>
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