Abstrack:
The issue of a fading cultural identity, in indigenous community, that gradually changing into a more popular cultural identity has occurred in almost every culture in the world. People lost control over their basic values that they have once embraced. Generation after generation was born with identity that moves further away from their origin. The fading of local knowledge, diminishing local language proficiency, the loss of unique perspective of world?s view that represent characteristic values of a culture, or smaller extents of kinship that are the core of a society, are the simple indicators of a fading cultural identity that could be easily acknowledged. Buton community in their daily lives is used to firmly hold the values and norms that have traditionally been handed down from their ancestors. The main value of their tradition is ‘Po bincibinciki kuli’ which is literally defined as two people pinch themselves, that when they feel pain while pinching themselves, they will realize that it would be the same pain they will inflicted if they pinch another person. This value is the social control in their communicative interactions in their community. Philosophy ‘Po binci-binciki kuli’, at a glance may be seem simple and naive but for the community, is considered has a deep and universal value. They believe if everyone live-up to this philosophy then there would be no dispute between members in the community. Philosophy ‘Po binci-binciki kuli’ was later developed into a more concrete four guiding behavior: po mae-maeka (mutual respect and apprehension among fellow members of the community), po m masiaka (mutual affection among fellow members of the community), po pia piara (mutual care among fellow members of the community) and po angka-angkataka (mutual uplifting). These are values that regulate social interaction in the community, that occurs between the leader and the people. It can not be denied that today, these great values only have a small role in the social life of Buton community. These values have only a sub-ordinal position under more dominant cultural values which is a form of hegemony brought by the mass media. A qualitative study was conducted in the city of Bau-Bau, Buton involving respondents that consist of Sultan of Buton, journalists from local media, and leaders and youth from Buton community.
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