Resumen de Multilingualism and hybrid identities among Indonesian youth in the indigenous community of Baduy

Eri Kurniawan, Susi Yuliawati, Sonya Puspasari Suganda

• This study delves into the intricate dynamics of language usage among the youth in the indigenous Baduy communities of Banten, situated in the culturally diverse and multilingual landscape of Indonesia. Our primary objective is to examine how language patterns interweave with ethnic and national identities in their daily lives. To achieve this, we compiled a comprehensive dataset, comprising 98 curated questionnaires and interviews, representing both the inner and outer circles of the Baduy community. The findings illuminate crucial aspects of linguistic practices. Notably, the Sundanese language emerges as the predominant first language across familial, friendship, neighbourhood, and religious domains. However, a notable divergence surfaces in trade interactions, where the Baduy Luar distinguishes itself by predominantly utilising Indonesian as the primary linguistic medium, alongside Sundanese. For both groups, Indonesian plays a significant role as the secondary language of choice. These observations underscore the Baduy youth's inclination to preserve their native Sundanese (L1) while concurrently embracing Indonesian as a lingua franca for external engagements. Despite the Baduy's status as an indigenous community with limited exposure to modern influences, this study highlights the enduring norm of multilingualism within their unique sociolinguistic context.