This study investigated women’s empowerment in the management of traditional villages in Watuhadang, a cultural tourism village in East Sumba. A qualitative approach with a case study method was used to understand women’s participation, supporting and inhibiting factors, and the relationship between cultural identity and women’s participation space. The results show that women actively participate in cultural preservation, weaving production, and traditional food production, but their participation is still limited to the operational level. The supporting factors are family support and training, while the main obstacles are patriarchal customary norms and limited access to capital. Cultural identity is both a strength and a limitation for women in the strategic governance space. This study recommends culturally sensitive and community-based empowerment strategies.
Yulianto et al. (Wed,) studied this question.