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JDR Vol.21 No.4 pp. 846-859
(2026)

Paper:

Culturally Embedded Disaster Education and Intergenerational Preparedness Effects: Evidence from a Disaster Prevention Maena-Based Project on Nias Island, Indonesia

Iwao Kato*,†, Bambang Rudyanto*, and Kenichi Ishibashi**

*Faculty of Economics and Business, Wako University
5-1-1 Kanaigaoka, Machida, Tokyo 195-8585, Japan

Corresponding author

**Department of Policy Studies, Aichi Gakuin University
Nisshin, Japan

Received:
December 11, 2025
Accepted:
May 22, 2026
Published:
August 1, 2026
Keywords:
disaster risk reduction education, intergenerational effects, disaster prevention Maena, Nias Island
Abstract

Disaster risk reduction education for children is increasingly recognized as an effective tool to enhance household resilience. This study evaluates a child-centered disaster risk reduction education project implemented on Nias Island, Indonesia, a region highly vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunamis. The intervention integrated disaster preparedness messages into Maena, a traditional communal dance of Nias, embedding risk-reduction learning within local cultural practice. Using a quasi-experimental pre–post design with matched survey data (children: n=1,242; parents: n=415), statistically significant improvements were observed in children’s disaster knowledge and parental awareness and preparedness behaviors. Notably, household preparedness measures increased from 55.2% to 78.8% among parents (χ2=67.6, p<0.001). These findings provide quantitative evidence of intergenerational spillover effects, indicating that culturally grounded child-centered disaster education can transcend classrooms to strengthen family-level and community resilience.

Children performing Disaster Prevention Maena

Children performing Disaster Prevention Maena

Cite this article as:
I. Kato, B. Rudyanto, and K. Ishibashi, “Culturally Embedded Disaster Education and Intergenerational Preparedness Effects: Evidence from a Disaster Prevention Maena-Based Project on Nias Island, Indonesia,” J. Disaster Res., Vol.21 No.4, pp. 846-859, 2026.
Data files:
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Last updated on Aug. 03, 2026