Enhancing Empowerment Among the Bajo Soropia: Exploring Psychological Dynamics and Tribal Engagement in Konawe Regency's Development

Abstract

The Bajo tribe is a tribe that lives on the coast and sea and leads a nomadic life from one area to another. As time goes by, some Bajo people who initially remained silent are now starting to open up to the social unrest that is occurring in their environment. As a maritime community, the Bajo tribe tends to choose to avoid conflict, including in terms of development participation. Infrastructure development in Bajo residential areas often presents problems with psychological disorders. This research examines the role of psychological empowerment in encouraging development participation in the Bajo Soropia ethnic community in the Konawe Regency. The research sample was 251 Bajo people who were determined using Proportional Cluster Random Sampling. Data collection through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. After the data was collected, data analysis was carried out using the MCMI IV application and continued with descriptive statistics using Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS). It was found that psychological factors have a significant influence on community involvement in regional development projects. Key factors include self-confidence, motivation, and understanding of the role of development. The study also identifies external elements such as government support and access to resources, and highlights their impact on empowerment and participation. These findings provide valuable insights for crafting inclusive development policies and underscore the importance of psychological empowerment in engaging marginalized indigenous communities. In a broader context, this research provides valuable insight into the motivations of marginalized communities to be more actively involved in development