Roots in the Highland Mist: Historical Trajectories and Local Wisdom of Gayo Coffee in Aceh as a Living Cultural
Keywords:
Gayo coffee, local wisdom, kearifan lokal, Aceh, cultural heritage, ethnobotanyAbstract
Gayo coffee, cultivated in the highland plateaus of Central Aceh at elevations between 1,200 and 1,500 metres above sea level, represents one of Indonesia's most internationally distinguished specialty coffees and one of Southeast Asia's most intricate intersections of agricultural heritage, cultural identity, and indigenous ecological knowledge. This community service study examines the historical trajectories of Gayo coffee cultivation from its pre-colonial introduction through the Dutch colonial plantation era to its contemporary status as a globally traded geographic indication product, while simultaneously documenting the local wisdom (kearifan lokal) systems through which the Gayo people have governed, transmitted, and renewed their coffee-agricultural heritage across generations. Employing ethnographic fieldwork methods—in-depth interviews, participant observation, oral history documentation, and archival research—across four coffee-producing villages in Bener Meriah Regency, the study identifies six distinct local wisdom categories embedded in the Gayo coffee tradition. Findings demonstrate that these knowledge systems constitute a living cultural heritage whose ecological, social, and economic dimensions demand integrated conservation strategies that honour their community-governed character.
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