South Asian Journal of Social Studies and Economics

Historic urban areas in Indonesia face increasing pressure from commercialization and mass tourism, often leading to the erosion of cultural identity and local values. Innovative tourism approaches rooted in local wisdom are therefore essential to ensure sustainable heritage preservation. The Selasa Wagen event in Malioboro, Yogyakarta, represents a cultural initiative grounded in the Javanese calendar (Weton) system, integrating storytelling and community participation to revitalize public space. This study aims to investigate how storytelling techniques and social capital can be integrated to support the preservation of historic urban areas through tourism. Specifically, it explores the development of the Selasa Wagen event as a cultural mechanism that transforms Malioboro from a commercial corridor into a reflective cultural space. A qualitative case study approach was employed to examine the social and cultural dynamics of the event. Data were collected through observations, interviews with key stakeholders, and document analysis. The study focuses on three analytical dimensions: (1) ideation of the event concept, (2) implementation through storytelling practices such as art performances and historical narratives, and (3) analysis of social capital, including trust, networks, and shared norms among stakeholders. The findings indicate that the success of Selasa Wagen is driven by a strong synergy between cultural symbolism, active community engagement, and cross-sector collaboration. Storytelling strategies effectively reposition Malioboro from a purely commercial hub into a space of cultural reflection and collective memory. However, tensions remain between long-term heritage preservation objectives and the short-term economic interests of local stakeholders, particularly street vendors operating in the area. Selasa Wagen demonstrates a replicable model of spiritual-cultural tourism development grounded in local wisdom. By leveraging social capital and authentic narrative construction, the initiative offers a practical framework for heritage management that balances cultural integrity with community livelihoods. This study contributes a conceptual model “Spiritual Cultural Tourism Narrative Based on the Javanese Calendar” as an innovative tool for sustainable historic area preservation.