Community-Based Religious Leadership in Yogyakarta: Succession, Educational Practices, and Cultural Continuity among the Kaum Rois

Abstract

Kaum Rois occupy a community-based religious leadership role in Yogyakarta, combining religious guidance, informal education, and cultural mediation within everyday social life. This study examines how their leadership is sustained through succession, educational practices, and engagement with local cultural traditions. A descriptive qualitative design was employed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 50 Kaum Rois selected across rural, urban, peri-urban, mountainous, and coastal areas of D.I. Yogyakarta, supported by observation and focus group discussions involving relevant stakeholders. The data were analyzed inductively to identify recurring patterns in leadership succession, religious education, and community engagement. The findings reveal three succession mechanisms: hereditary regeneration, appointment by community leaders, and community-based election. Leadership continuity is associated not only with the mechanism of succession but also with religious knowledge, moral character, community acceptance, and social trust. The educational practices of the Kaum Rois integrate the teaching of faith, worship, and morality through cultural, educational, and psychological approaches. Cultural participation in local traditions and communal activities provides a prominent setting for religious guidance, while educational and interpersonal approaches support religious understanding and individual guidance. These practices also contribute to the continuity of local traditions and the maintenance of community relationships. The study shows how community-based religious leadership connects leadership succession, informal religious education, and cultural mediation in sustaining locally embedded religious and social institutions.