Ethnomathematical exploration of Pia Kawitan, a traditional cake from Pangalengan as a learning resource
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30659/iem.v1i2.53584Keywords:
Ethnomathematics, Pia Kawitan, Ratio and Proportions, Division, GeometryAbstract
Mathematics is often perceived as an abstract subject detached from everyday life, a view that contributes to negative student attitudes toward the subject. Ethnomathematics offers a bridge between formal mathematics and the mathematical practices embedded in cultural activities. Pia Kawitan is a traditional cake produced for generations in Pangalengan, Bandung Regency, whose production process has not previously been examined as a source of contextual mathematics learning. This study aims to identify and describe the mathematical concepts embedded in the process of making Pia Kawitan and to examine their potential as a mathematics learning resource in schools. A qualitative descriptive method with an ethnographic approach was used. Data were collected at a Pia Kawitan home industry in Pangalengan through direct observation of all production stages, semi-structured interviews with key informants, namely the owner and production workers, and photographic documentation, then analyzed through methodological triangulation. The findings show that the production process contains four interrelated mathematical concepts: weight measurement, geometry (circles, spheres, and symmetry), division, and ratio and proportion. Measurement appears in weighing the dough ingredients in kilograms, ons, and grams; geometry appears in rounding the dough into a sphere, flattening it into a circular disc, and folding both sides symmetrically; division appears in dividing 45 grams of outer dough into ten 4.5-gram portions, arranging 216 pia in one baking pan, and packing 24 pia in each box; and ratio appears in the fixed ingredient proportions, such as flour to water of 10:4 (5:2) in the outer dough. These findings indicate that Pia Kawitan has substantial potential as a contextual, culturally grounded resource for teaching measurement, geometry, division, and ratio, while simultaneously supporting the preservation of local Sundanese culture through school-based learning
References
Abdullah, A. S. (2017). Ethnomathematics in perspective of Sundanese culture. Journal on Mathematics Education, 8(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.22342/jme.8.1.3877.1-15
Arisetyawan, A., Suryadi, D., Herman, T., & Rahmat, C. (2014). Study of ethnomathematics: A lesson from the Baduy culture. International Journal of Education and Research, 2(10), 681–688.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
D'Ambrosio, U. (1985). Ethnomathematics and its place in the history and pedagogy of mathematics. For the Learning of Mathematics, 5(1), 44–48.
D'Ambrosio, U. (1989). A research program and a course in the history of mathematics: Ethnomathematics. Historia Mathematica, 16(3), 285–287. https://doi.org/10.1016/0315-0860(89)90026-8
D'Ambrosio, U. (2001). Ethnomathematics: Link between traditions and modernity. Sense Publishers.
Disnawati, H., & Nahak, S. (2019). Pengembangan lembar kerja siswa berbasis etnomatematika tenun Timor pada materi pola bilangan. Jurnal Elemen, 5(1), 64–79. https://doi.org/10.29408/jel.v5i1.1022
Fouze, A. Q., & Amit, M. (2018). Development of mathematical thinking through integration of ethnomathematic folklore game in math instruction. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(2), 617–630. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/80626
Gravemeijer, K. (1994). Developing realistic mathematics education. CD-β Press.
Herawaty, D., Widada, W., Umam, K., Nugroho, Z. F., & Anggoro, D. (2019). The improvement of the understanding of mathematical concepts through the implementation of realistic mathematics learning and ethnomathematics. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 295, 21–25.
Imswatama, A., & Lukman, H. S. (2018). The effectiveness of mathematics teaching material based on ethnomathematics. International Journal of Trends in Mathematics Education Research, 1(1), 35–38. https://doi.org/10.33122/ijtmer.v1i1.11
Lamon, S. J. (2007). Rational numbers and proportional reasoning: Toward a theoretical framework for research. In F. K. Lester (Ed.), Second handbook of research on mathematics teaching and learning (pp. 629–667). Information Age Publishing.
Laurens, T., Batlolona, F. A., Batlolona, J. R., & Leasa, M. (2018). How does realistic mathematics education (RME) improve students' mathematics cognitive achievement? Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(2), 569–578. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/76959
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Ministry of Education and Culture. (2016). Matematika SMP/MTs kelas VII [Mathematics for junior high school grade VII]. Pusat Kurikulum dan Perbukuan.
Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. (2022). Keputusan Kepala BSKAP Nomor 033/H/KR/2022 tentang Capaian Pembelajaran pada Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini, Jenjang Pendidikan Dasar, dan Jenjang Pendidikan Menengah [Decree of the Head of the Agency for Educational Standards, Curriculum, and Assessment Number 033/H/KR/2022 on learning outcomes in early childhood education, primary education, and secondary education].
Moleong, L. J. (2017). Metodologi penelitian kualitatif (edisi revisi). Remaja Rosdakarya.
Muhtadi, D., Sukirwan, Warsito, & Prahmana, R. C. I. (2017). Sundanese ethnomathematics: Mathematical activities in estimating, measuring, and making patterns. Journal on Mathematics Education, 8(2), 185–198. https://doi.org/10.22342/jme.8.2.4055.185-198
Pathuddin, H., & Raehana, S. (2019). Etnomatematika: Makanan tradisional Bugis sebagai sumber belajar matematika. MaPan: Jurnal Matematika dan Pembelajaran, 7(2), 307–328. https://doi.org/10.24252/mapan.2019v7n2a10
Pathuddin, H., Kamariah, & Nawawi, M. I. (2021). Buginese ethnomathematics: Barongko cake explorations as mathematics learning resources. Journal on Mathematics Education, 12(2), 295–312. https://doi.org/10.22342/jme.12.2.12695.295-312
Prahmana, R. C. I., & D'Ambrosio, U. (2020). Learning geometry and values from patterns: Ethnomathematics on the batik patterns of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Journal on Mathematics Education, 11(3), 439–456. https://doi.org/10.22342/jme.11.3.12949.439-456
Prahmana, R. C. I., Kusumah, Y. S., & Darhim. (2018). Didactic trajectory of research in mathematics education using research-based learning. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 893(1), 012001. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/893/1/012001
Risdiyanti, I., & Prahmana, R. C. I. (2017). Ethnomathematics: Exploration in Javanese culture. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 943(1), 012032. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/943/1/012032
Risdiyanti, I., & Prahmana, R. C. I. (2020). Ethnomathematics: Exploration in Sundanese culture. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1613, 012006.
Rosa, M., & Orey, D. C. (2011). Ethnomathematics: The cultural aspects of mathematics. Revista Latinoamericana de Etnomatemática, 4(2), 32–54.
Rosa, M., & Orey, D. C. (2016). State of the art in ethnomathematics. In M. Rosa, U. D'Ambrosio, D. C. Orey, L. Shirley, W. V. Alangui, P. Palhares, & M. E. Gavarrete (Eds.), Current and future perspectives of ethnomathematics as a program (pp. 11–37). Springer.
Sari, N. I. P., Hariastuti, R. M., & Untu, Z. (2021). Eksplorasi etnomatematika pada proses pembuatan kue bagea Manado. Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika, 12(1), 1–12.
Skemp, R. R. (1976). Relational understanding and instrumental understanding. Mathematics Teaching, 77, 20–26.
Spradley, J. P. (2007). Metode etnografi (edisi ke-2). Tiara Wacana.
Suarjana, I. M., Suharta, I. G. P., & Japa, I. G. N. (2014). Etnomatematika sistem kalender Bali. Seminar Nasional Riset Inovatif II, 177–182.
Sugiyono. (2019). Metode penelitian pendidikan: Pendekatan kuantitatif, kualitatif, dan R&D (edisi ke-3). Alfabeta.
Sulasteri, S., Nur, F., & Kusumayanti, A. (2020). Ethnomathematics: The exploration of learning geometry at Fort Rotterdam of Makassar. Prosiding ICMIs 2018, 151–157. https://doi.org/10.5220/0008518601510157
Supiyati, Hanum, F., & Jailani. (2019). Ethnomathematics in Sasaknese architecture. Journal on Mathematics Education, 10(1), 47–58. https://doi.org/10.22342/jme.10.1.5383.47-58
Supriadi, Arisetyawan, A., & Tiurlina. (2016). Mengintegrasikan pembelajaran matematika berbasis budaya Banten pada pendirian SD Laboratorium UPI Kampus Serang. Mimbar Sekolah Dasar, 3(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.17509/mimbar-sd.v3i1.2510
Utami, N. W., Sayuti, S. A., & Jailani. (2019). Math and mate in Javanese Primbon: Ethnomathematics study. Journal on Mathematics Education, 10(3), 341–356. https://doi.org/10.22342/jme.10.3.7611.341-356
Van de Walle, J. A., Karp, K. S., & Bay-Williams, J. M. (2013). Elementary and middle school mathematics: Teaching developmentally (8th ed.). Pearson.
Widada, W., Herawaty, D., Falaq, A., Anggoro, D., Yudha, A., & Hayati, M. K. (2019). Ethnomathematics and outdoor learning to improve problem solving ability. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 295, 13–16.
Wondo, M. T. S., Mei, M. F., & Naja, F. Y. (2020). Eksplorasi etnomatematika rumah adat suku Lio Kabupaten Ende untuk pembelajaran geometri. Jurnal Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Missio, 12(1), 32–44. https://doi.org/10.36928/jpkm.v12i1.71
Zayyadi, M. (2017). Eksplorasi etnomatematika pada batik Madura. Sigma, 2(2), 35–40.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Insight on Educational Mathematics
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
