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Abstract
The Bakar Batu tradition of the Papuan Highlands is one of Indonesia’s most profound intangible cultural heritages, embodying values of solidarity, gratitude, and harmony between humans and nature. This study examines the recontextualization of the Bakar Batu ritual as a medium for cultural education and sustainable geotourism through a collaborative initiative organized by the Indonesia Art Movement (IAM) and the Ikatan Keluarga Besar Pemuda Pelajar Mahasiswa (IKB PPM) ELIMA in Jayapura City. Employing an interdisciplinary ethnographic approach, the research integrates perspectives from cultural anthropology, sociology, art education, and geoheritage studies to analyze how local traditions can be adapted and revitalized within educational and artistic urban contexts. Data were collected through participatory observation, interviews, and visual ethnographic documentation of the Bakar Batu process and its symbolic meanings. The findings reveal that Bakar Batu, when conducted as a participatory art and educational practice, revitalizes ancestral values of social solidarity and ecological awareness, while serving as a model of geo-cultural education. The ritual’s use of stones, fire, and soil reflects the spiritual and environmental bond between people and the earth, aligning with Murda’s (2025) concept of ecological memory embodied in Papuan cultural expression. These insights also support Albar et al. (2023) and Setiawan & Hidayah (2021), who emphasize the importance of local wisdom in environmental education, and are consistent with Henriques & Brilha’s (2021) framework for sustainable heritage management under UNESCO’s global geotourism perspective. Thus, the Bakar Batu ritual represents not only cultural resilience but also a pedagogical and ecological practice that bridges tradition and innovation. The integration of indigenous wisdom, artistic collaboration, and geoheritage awareness offers a model for community-based sustainable geotourism and the preservation of Papuan cultural identity in a contemporary context.