FROM STORY TO SOUL: THE ROLE OF PANIYAW IN IKALINGA LITERARY HERITAGE AND MORAL FORMATION IN INDIGENOUS EDUCATION

Abstract

This study explores paniyaw, a system of cultural taboos and prohibitions in the Ikalinga indigenous community, through the lens of local legends and folktales. Paniyaw serves as a moral compass, regulating ethical behavior and maintaining harmony between people, nature, and the spirit world. Utilizing an ethnographic and literary hermeneutic approach, the research analyzes selected Ikalinga oral narratives for their symbolic and cultural representations of paniyaw, highlighting their relevance to contemporary moral formation and education. Findings reveal that paniyaw embeds indigenous environmental ethics and spirituality as core community values, which have waned among younger generations but are critical to revitalizing cultural identity and ethical responsibility. The study advocates for integrating paniyaw-centered texts into educational frameworks to preserve and promote indigenous knowledge systems.