In the southern part of Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, lies Golo Mori a picturesque village embraced by rolling hills and coastal winds. To reach it, the road meanders along the shoreline offering glimpses of the sea before rising into a green landscape where culture and nature have intertwined from generations. Golo Mori Village has long been known as a village of coffee. Not just any coffee, but beans processed with rituals, patience and respect for the land.  

Recently, Investing in the Komodo Dragon and Other Globally Threatened Species in Flores (IN-FLORES)’s project team visited the Village to experience these traditions first hand. The scent of freshly roasted coffee drifts through the air as we sit under the shade of a jackfruit tree.  Around us, women of Golo Mori group pound coffee beans in rhythm, using mortars carved from jackfruit trees (Artocarpus heterophyllus) and heavy pestles from kukung wood (Schoutenia ovata Korth.). Their warm welcome and the rhythmic pounding of coffee beans echo across the valley, a sound as ancient as their traditions. The hollow thud echoes across the valley, blending with laughter, stories, and the welcoming spirit of the village.

For the people of Golo Mori, coffee is more than just a drink. It is ritual of hospitality and the social glue that binds them. It is a way to welcome guests, resolve disputes, and connect with others.  “We drink coffee three times a day, sometimes more,” an elder and leader of the group told us. “Coffee keeps us together.”  

But behind every cup of coffee lies a much deeper story, of forest protection, women empowerment, and delicate coexistence with one of the world's most iconic creatures. This story reveals how preserving tradition can be the most powerful form of conservation.

The Forest as a Lifeline: From Coffee to Komodos

The tools of Golo Mori’s coffee tradition come directly from the forest. The jackfruit tree (Artocarpus heterophyllus) provides nourishing fruit and the wood for their mortars. The incredibly strong kukung tree (Schoutenia ovata Korth.) supplies the pestles that can withstand decades of use.

Under customary law, or adat, these trees are sacred. To cut one recklessly is unthinkable. The penalty is severe: a fine of up to IDR 2 million or the sacrifice of a goat. Yet the true weight of adat lies not in the punishment, but in its moral authority. For the community, this isn't just a fine but a tear in the community's spiritual fabric. "Government rules are important, but what people obey in their hearts is adat," the elder explained.

This ancestral wisdom is, in essence, an ecological masterclass. By protecting these specific trees, the community inherently protects the broader forest ecosystem. Their deep roots anchor the soil, prevent landslides, and safeguard the riverbanks. This protected forest is not only a source of wood, but also a living, breathing habitat. It is home to the wild pigs and deer that are the primary prey for the village's formidable neighbor: the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis).

Here, the connection becomes clear: protecting the trees for the coffee ritual directly contributes to protecting the habitat and food source for the Komodo dragon. The health of the forest, the vitality of the community's culture, and the survival of this endangered species are all threads in the same vibrant tapestry.

Empowering the Guardians

At the heart of this tradition are the women of Golo Mori. The Kopi Tuk Golo Mori group, consisting of 12 women and two men are the custodians of the ancestral craft of coffee making, from sun-drying the beans to roasting them over firewood and pounding them by hand. This role is a source of respect and, increasingly, economic empowerment.  

This is where the IN-FLORES project, a collaboration between Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry and UNDP, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), plays a crucial role. The project's philosophy is not to impose outside ideas, but to amplify the wisdom that already exists. While the project has engaged 229 community members in 15 groups across its landscapes, the approach in Golo Mori is deeply personal. Here, it supports two key community groups, the coffee growers and traditional weavers, encompassing 27 members who are vital to the village's cultural and economic life.

Through training in modern packaging, quality control, and market access, IN-FLORES helps the coffee farmers in the group turn their traditional craft into a more profitable and sustainable enterprise. When local, forest-friendly products like this coffee can provide a stable income, the economic pressures that lead to habitat destruction, such as clearing land for agriculture or illegal logging, are significantly reduced.

This same principle is applied to the village’s 15 traditional weavers, who are now using natural dyes, and to new eco-tourism guides who are learning to integrate conservation into their tours. By strengthening conservation-based livelihoods, the project ensures that both the community and the ecosystem can thrive.

A Future Forged in Harmony

The people of Golo Mori have always lived alongside the Komodo. While the world knows the Komodo as a formidable predator, locals see it differently. “The Komodo is part of our land,” says a community leader. “We respect it, but we must also protect our families.”

Through generations, the people of Golo Mori have upheld local wisdom that teaches coexistence rather than conflict. When problems arise, such as livestock losses or injuries caused by Komodo, villagers turn to their adat (customary) traditions. Instead of retaliating or harming the animal, community elders lead rituals and offer symbolic offerings to restore balance and peace between humans and the Komodo. This tradition reinforces the belief that harmony with nature must be nurtured, not fought.

Adat leaders play a crucial role in mediating such conflicts, arranging offerings, and guiding collective solutions before any case reaches government authorities. It is a culture, deeply rooted in respect for the land and its creatures, that sustains peaceful coexistence between people and wildlife.

The IN-FLORES project builds on this foundation. It recognizes that the most effective conservation strategy is one where local community are the primary actors and beneficiaries. The experience in Golo Mori proves that protecting endangered species isn't about building fences. It's about investing in people, honoring their traditions, and empowering them to continue their role as the true guardians of the forest.

In this small village, each cup of coffee tells a global story: of balance, of resilience, and of a community proving that when tradition, training, and policy align, both people and nature can thrive. The experience of Golo Mori shows that conservation is strongest when rooted in local wisdom and supported by modern approaches, turning protection into a pathway for livelihoods, dignity, and sustainable development. And in this harmony lies a lesson for us all: the future of conservation is not about choosing between people and nature, but about walking forward together.

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Authors: Rafselia Novalina & Wiene Andriyana  

Editor: Nabilla Rahmani