Re: Colonialism, Culture and Gender in Timor-Leste

-----Original Message---

From: Miguel de Lemos

Sent: Monday, October 01, 2012 11:19 PM

To: JOSH TRINDADE

Cc: east-timor@lists.riseup.net ; ETAN

Subject: Re: Colonialism, Culture and Gender in Timor-Leste

Dear Josh, Dear all,

Thank you very much for your text.

Could you please identify the sources of these ideas? What are the

academic studies that support, namely, the third paragraph?

Looking forward to discuss your contribution,

Kind regards,

Miguel Lemos

====

From: JOSH TRINDADE

Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 7:45 PM

To: Miguel de Lemos ; east-timor@lists.riseup.net ; ETAN

Subject: Re: Colonialism, Culture and Gender in Timor-Leste

Hi Miguel,

I will not be able to give you at the moment because: 1) I am still

researching the the issue. 2) Are you referring to the sources from a well

qualified western scholars from a well credited University? How I suppose to

find that in a place like TL where local ideas been subjugated by foreign

invaders as colonial? If you know some, do let me know. 3) if you think the

information is incorrect or misleading, you can make it better by analyzing

it and put it in the right perspectives. 4) I am not academically qualified

by formal standard, I only reached high-school. 5) But one source (evidence)

I can give you from my Ritual Language (Naueti). But again, this is only an

oral-reference which is inferior to academic written knowledge.

The following is how the colonial events interpreted in our ritual language.

I have to ask permission to share this.

1) "Wono Malae ne lo ---- It is foreign war

2) Le'a Malae ne lo ---- It is foreign conflict

3) Uka la watu o ---- Run on the rocks

4) Uka la kai o ---- Run on the trees

5) Horo la baha o ---- Hide on the mountains

6) Horo la ba'a lale ---- hide in the valleys

7) Buikia toto'o, Anakia toto'o ---- [we are] like the little

chickens without their mother, [we are] orphans without parents

8) [...]"

From the above, we clearly see that, line 1 and 2 refer to the colonial. All

the sufferings they went through, until the day they use this ritual

language blamed it on the colonial (wono malae, le'a malae). From line 3-6,

it described the whole sufferings during colonial periods. As an example,

they have to hide on the mountain, Mount Matebian which is just close by

(line 5). Line 7 specifically described the cost of that "wono malae, le'a

malae". It left behind many children without parents. Many elderly who can't

survive, left us behind, took with them the wisdom we need in our existence.

Interestingly, there is no blame on the Timorese who worked for the

colonial. You can interpret this in anyway you want, but I think there are

explanation to it. 1) My language group understood the root cause of the

problems, which is the Malae (in this context, Indonesian too are Malaes) as

colonial. This interpretation automatically put the 'colonial collaborators'

as victims too. 3) The war is over, it is better to reconcile with the

colonial collaborators, they are still brothers and sisters anyway. 4) If we

exclude them in this recent ritual language, it may cause future conflicts

among our future generations. But that doesn't mean we forgot already what

the colonial collaborators did in the past. 5) In fact, when the ritual

language continue, it call for a unity as appear in the following:

"[...]

9) Otarae-wailita gamama'a lebati --- girl-boy are all here today

10) Uma'ana-Oasae gamama'a lebati --- wife giver - wife taker are all here today

11) Ware-Kaka gamama'a lebati --- Younger - older brothers are all here today

12) Ana ulu - Ana Iku gamama'a lebati --- Younger - older sisters are all here today

13) inatua-amadae gamama'a lebati --- aunties - uncles are all here today

14) [...]

In line 9, the boy-girl dualistic represents the idea of fertility, that we

ready to flourish, to create and maintain life and our society, through our

girls and boys. From line 10-13, it explains the complex relationship that

we have. The colonial collaborators in our village, may one of the brother,

the uncles, the unties, the nephews, etc. But they must fall into one of the

category in line 10-13; therefor, it is possible to reconcile. That's the demand of our ancestors and Lulik.

The above ritual language, used during Uma Lulik (Sacred House) inauguration

and many other rituals after '99. I am guessing in other language group,

they have similar interpretation of the event.

Again, this is only an oral interpretation. It doesn't have the same weight

as a written academic analysis.

Best,

Josh Trindade