On the slopes of Mount Kawatak in Minahasa, time seems to move in rhythm with the swing of a hoe striking the earth. For Felix Tololiu (56), this mountain is not merely a stretch of green on the horizon—it is a responsibility he has carried for nearly four decades.
Felix is the central figure behind the short documentary film “Tou Akel: The Guardian of Kayobaan.” In his daily life, far removed from the noise of the city, he lives as a farmer, a batifar (a palm sap tapper), and most importantly, a guardian of the forest.
A Legacy Rooted in the Land
Felix’s footsteps through the forest are deliberate and thoughtful. He does not plant carelessly. Guided by knowledge passed down through generations, he observes the phases of the moon before placing seedlings into the soil.
“Our elders showed us—there are proper times to plant. You cannot just plant at random,” he said, his voice calm yet firm.
Planting without care, he believes, will not produce strong trees. And for Felix, the strength of each tree is tied directly to the future. To date, he estimates that he has planted more than 5,000 trees in the area—a man-made forest he has nurtured with his own hands over the past 35 years.
The Miracle of Water Beneath the Canopy
Felix’s motivation is simple, yet essential: water.
He vividly remembers the past condition of Mount Kayobaan. In those days, even a short dry spell—just two days without rain—would cause the springs at the foot of the mountain to run dry. Communities struggled to access drinking water.
Today, that reality has changed.
Even under prolonged heat, clear water continues to flow steadily from beneath the roots of the trees he planted.
“In the past, when it was hot, everything dried up. Now, there are trees,” Felix recalled.
Through his work, he demonstrates a fundamental ecological truth often overlooked in modern life: where forests thrive, life flows.
A Message for Future Generations
For Felix, planting trees is a way of speaking to the future. He understands that he will not always be there to care for the mountain. That is why he places great importance on educating younger generations to love and protect nature.
“If you are young, make an effort to plant,” he said. “Plant something that benefits nature—and benefits us as well.”
For him, the most powerful form of education is not words, but example. He cultivates the land so that the future of his children and grandchildren will not become barren.
A Forest That Has Returned
Today, what may once have been barren land has transformed into a dense and shaded forest, covered by the canopy of tall trees. Within the next five years, Felix believes the forest will grow even thicker.
Through the lens of filmmaker Kalfein Maikel Wuisan, we are reminded that environmental heroes do not always stand on grand stages. Sometimes, they are middle-aged men in simple working clothes, climbing mountains every day—just to ensure that the springs, the very pulse of life, never stop flowing.
About the Film
“Tou Akel: The Guardian of Kayobaan” is a documentary film by Kalfein Maikel Wuisan, capturing the local wisdom of the Minahasan people in maintaining ecological balance through traditional agricultural practices.