The objective of this study is to explore and elaborate indigenous tradition as a trigger of social entrepreneurship in specific contexts. Content analysis is conducted regarding the transcripts of four short documentary films and six in-depth interviews. The analysis is performed on the influence of indigenous tradition to community-based social entrepreneurship. The findings demonstrate the role of indigenous tradition as an important factor in Indonesian social entrepreneurship. The implication of this research could be considered by stakeholders to explore indigenous tradition as an initiative for developing social entrepreneurship in rural areas.