Bamboo Music Learning to Foster Students’ Cooperation Character in Raja Ampat

Abstract

Character education in primary schools often prioritizes cognitive outcomes, leaving cooperation, an
essential social character, with little contextual support, particularly where living cultural traditions
could serve as a learning medium. This study aimed to describe how bamboo music learning was
implemented and how it fostered students’ cooperation character at SD YPK Getsemani Saporkren,
Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua. A descriptive qualitative field study was conducted in July 2026. Data
were gathered through classroom observation, interviews with one classroom teacher and five
students, and documentation, and were analyzed through data reduction, data display, and conclusion
drawing. Trustworthiness was established through source and technique triangulation and member
checking. The cooperation-assessment rubric and lesson plan were validated by an expert and judged
usable with minor revisions. Bamboo music learning was delivered in a structured sequence of
planning, technique demonstration, group practice with instrument-role division, teacher guidance,
and evaluation. Six cooperation behaviors emerged consistently across sources: mutual help,
communication, task division, responsibility, respect for peers, and group cohesion. A supplementary
rubric applied to five second-grade students (n = 5) produced a mean score of 96.0, in the very good
category. Responsibility, discipline, self-confidence, and care for peers were also reported. Bamboo
music appears to be a promising medium for combining local cultural preservation with character
education, although the findings are limited to one school and a small group of informants.