Abstract:
Indonesia’s status as the 4th most populous country and largest Muslin majority nation make its
economic rise (pre Covid-19) important as the world becomes more globally connected. The
young adults of Indonesia represent its most media-savvy population, growing up as their
country has developed internet infrastructure and grown its middle class. Young adults’ response
to this rapid change over the past twenty years has been broadly studied across the nation, with
specific emphasis given to the more urbanized western region. This analysis seeks to build on
this body of work by zooming in on Indonesia’s more rural Eastern half, specifically in the
Ngada region of the island of Flores and the traditional culture therewith in through ten
interviews with young adults (ages eighteen to twenty-five) and older adults (ages forty and up).
Flores, much like the rest of Eastern Indonesia, has lagged behind in urbanization and internet
infrastructure, with its economy beginning to expand beyond agriculture as the island has
experienced more connectivity through mobile data access. The changing media landscape has
crafted a new reality for the young adults of Flores and as a result shifted the way in which they
relate to their traditional culture. Compared with the previous generation, which discusses
traditional culture in terms of their community, the current young adults of Flores have begun to
relate to the ceremonies of rituals they participate in with concepts of individuality, which may
be more appropriate as their futures may take them off of Flores and even out of Indonesia
