Cultural Acculturation among Transmigration Communities in Indonesia: Implications for Local Integration and National Identity Formation

Abstract

This study examines how cultural acculturation among transmigration communities contributes to local integration and national identity formation in Indonesia. Although transmigration has long been discussed as a demographic and development policy, its cultural consequences require a more integrated analytical explanation. Using an integrative qualitative literature review, this article synthesizes previous studies on transmigration, intercultural communication, religious-cultural integration, artistic expression, economic adaptation, and local community relations. The analysis identifies five interrelated mechanisms of acculturation: mutual cultural adaptation, negotiation of social boundaries, mediation through religion and performing arts, economic interaction and entrepreneurial learning, and institutional support through education and public policy. The findings show that transmigration-based acculturation is neither a linear process of assimilation nor a simple preservation of ethnic identity. Instead, it is a dynamic process through which migrant and local communities selectively adopt, reinterpret, and institutionalize cultural practices. The study contributes to migration and cultural studies by proposing an integrative framework for understanding acculturation as a mechanism for strengthening Indonesia’s plural national culture while also acknowledging potential tensions, conflicts, and policy challenges.