EE00002309

The livelihoods of Timorese people are agriculture. Corn Harvest is a Timorese harvest ceremony practiced by farmers in various regions in the country. People in Timor-Leste are grateful for what they collect by the hard work sacrificed especially for their plantation in their farm. The corn harvest ceremony is a traditional thanksgiving ceremony to offer the best and first harvest to Lord and to other divines who believe that protects the plantations from the pest and other degradative agents.

EE00002320

Silat Thasmil, a self-defense art or gymnastic exercise with scenic or sports purposes, involving difficulties in balance, agility and coordination, composing the techniques of defence and attack against the enemy in a physical duel. This self-defence art is being practiced in the village of Holpilat at Maucatar administrative post, municipality of Covalima. Silat Thasmil in local language mean the local self-defense art has been used in ancient time to protect the people in the village from the outside attacks.

EE00002315

Koto Tisi (wild beans) is a traditional method of making wild beans edible. It is local knowledge that helps people to survive in times of poverty, especially in dry weather where there is no food available to meet the need. Habitually, people collect the wild beans on its harvest time and normally people make the Koto Tisi in long dry season where food is hard to find in many regions of the country.

EE00002318

The Tebe Lilin dance is a traditional dance, practiced in the ancient times, where the coexistence of society was very strict in the activities. Actually the dance still practicing and performing in the occasions of constructing sacred houses at the west part of the country, typically in Covalima Municipality. The dance itself is combined with traditional songs, which expressing the meaningful of life, social interaction and connecting mind within the clan and relationships in the community

EE00002317

Bidu Lensu-Mutin is a typical traditional dance from the community of the village of Suai Loro, Covalima Municipality. This dance is performed in cultural occasions such as welcoming guests, inauguration of sacred houses, “sau-batar” (corn harvest festival), and “tara-bandu”. The movement and every step of the dance is following up by traditional arrangement of music. Using a kind of dry palm leaf to give the sound and rhythm, and traditional song with local dialect give harmonies to the dance. The dance has been passed from one generation to another and up to now it is still alive within the communities.

EE00002307

The element is practiced in traditional wedding ceremonies, inherited from ancestors, commonly in Fataluku Ethnic and other neighborhood, located in eastern part of the country. Seleleo-Seo/Kosok-Koso is a kind of dowry agreement expression between the family of groom and bride within community. This practice is used to make the dowry negotiation between families in an attractive and interactive atmosphere. People in this community believes that Seleleo-Seo/Kosok-Koso is an important practice in wedding ceremony therefore to make family to be moreblessed and to strength the family ties.

EE00002829

Lakadou is a traditional musical instrument from Timor-Leste, crafted exclusively from bamboo. It combines the characteristics of strings or threads created from the bamboo itself. The construction of Lakadou showcases deep ancestral knowledge of sustainable natural material use. Its unique and melodic sound is produced by thin pieces of bamboo, carefully carved and stretched to act as strings. This instrument symbolizes the harmonious connection between Timorese culture and nature.

EE00002316

Akar is a kind of Traditional making food from the inner part of the trunk of palm trees. The knowledge of preparing the inner part of palm trees is also known as survival subsistence usually prepare in long dry seasons. Akar as same as Koto Tisi are the alternative food for community in long dry season.

EE00002828

The Babadok is a traditional musical instrument that holds a central place in the cultural heritage of the Timorese community. Crafted from wood and animal skins, such as sheep and cow, it is tied with strings made of natural fibers. The instrument's shape and size vary based on the region and its specific purpose, but its role remains essential in cultural events and rituals. As a membrane instrument, the Babadok is integral to traditional music and dance forms, including the tebe-tebe. Its rhythmic beats provide the foundation for the movements in these performances. Mastering the Babadok requires exceptional skill and an innate sensitivity to rhythm. Often, its enchanting sound is complemented by other traditional instruments, such as the gong, creating a dynamic and vibrant symphony that embodies the spirit of Timorese artistry.

EE00002319

One of the traditional dances of Timor-Leste is Tebe Otas Uluk, practiced by the both gender men and women of all ages in Fatu-Mea administrative post, municipality of Covalima. Commonly, this traditional dance is used in traditional ceremonies such as the ceremonies made during the sacred house constructions, religious ceremonies, national days’ celebration and other regional and national ceremonies out of Fatumea. The dance is being accompanying by a song which is composed of three phrases: Loro Matan Mesak Leok Lemorai (The Sun Alone Shining Everywhere); Hali Leon Tolu Leon Covalima (Three focus tree “Ficus benjamina” and five baskets); Hali Odamatan Tahan Ole Olen (literally, Ficus Tree in the door with soft leaf). These phrases are as the expression of respect gratitude to the Lord almighty, creator of everything, acknowledgment of their ancestors and the hope of having a good leader with good character of leadership which can lead his people to a good living full of blessing of peace and prosperity

EE00002314

Bua Malus (Piper betel and Areca catechu) is literally translated as betel leaves and areca betel nut; it is used in every ritual across the whole country. Bua Malus (Bitternut betel-pepper or leaf) is metaphorically representing the idea of peace, prosperity, good health and protection from bad luck and other misfortune or misery in life. Commonly people used Bua-Malus as; offerings for welcoming guests, “buka urat” (ritual ceremony for healing people), “kuta” (mark of blessing on someone’s forehead), “kakaluk/biru” (a spiritual item) and etc. Generally, Bua-Malus (Bitternut betel-pepper or leaf) is used as a welcoming element to welcome guests, besides, it’s an important element in all traditional rituals and ceremonies.

EE00002312

Tein Masin is an ancestral legacy that is inherited from generation to generation until today practiced in general by coastal population. Salt production can still be found in some coastal communities along the north coast of Timor-Leste from the municipality of bobonaro to the municipality of Lautem. With emphasis on the administrative post of Atabae-Bobonaro, Loes and Tibar-Liquica municipality, Manatatu municipality, and Laga in Baucau municipality.

EE00002313

Tara-Bandu is a traditional term refers to a widely held view within community. It’s a traditional custom that enforces peace and reconciliation trough the power of communal agreement to define social norms and practices acceptable to a given community. Tara-Bandu aims to regulate behavior and relations among people to people, people to animal and people to environment. The rules are set and whoever disobey the rules will get penalty for their acts. In Tara-Bandu ceremony includes sacrificing an animal as a common traditional practice across all community in Timor-Leste. As Timorese subsistence are commonly originate from agriculture, fisheries and livestock meanwhile Tara-Bandu has the role as customary traditions that regulate community members behaviors for their own environments; dry land and ocean that surrounds them from which they are dependent upon for their own daily livelihood.

EE00002308

The Fui is an ancestral musical instrument legacy made of bamboo, used and practiced by oxen and buffalo keepers to care for their oxen and buffalos.Caretaker of oxen and buffalo is a solitary job where playing the flute is the only way to get rid of loneliness. Keepers of buffalo and oxen play the flute to gather their livestock in one place before taking them back to the corral or water source. Oxen and buffalo know the flute sound of their keepers and follow it. The Fui is also played in traditional ceremonies; Funeral of “Liurais” high personality in society. Playing with the rhythm of melancholy and loneliness to comfort the deceased’s family and to give hope.

EE00001985

Tais, Timor-Leste’s traditional textile, is a cultural heritage that has been passed from the ancestors, from generation to generation. Tais has an important role in Timorese people’s life, starting from their birth until death. They use Tais to welcome guests, as well as to show their cultural identity and social class. It is also used as an object of value, for example, 'barlake' (dowry) which is given from family of bride to family of groom. Tais is used not only as an element to tighten the relationship between families, but also to pay penalty when people did not follow the rule within the community. Tais is traditional clothes, which has men's style and women's style. In Timor-Leste, Tais has a variety of colors and motifs varying by ethnic groups. These days, cultural creative industry using Tais with respect to the tradition, is also growing. Tais is made from cotton and natural plants are used to dye color. Production of Tais has been mainly done by women, since the past until now. Normally, Tais is woven manually using simple equipment such as 'atis', 'kida', and others. Process of producing Tais is complex and takes long time. Traditionally, Tais has been woven by individuals. However, some family members also contribute to mitigate the work of women weavers, such as in process of preparing cotton, 'kesi futus' (tie-dye) and dying cotton. These days, weavers also began to form groups to facilitate their weaving activities.

EE00002311

Tuku-Osan is a Traditional knowledge or traditional blacksmithing of transforming coins into traditional jewelry such as “belak”, “kaibauk”, earrings, necklace, and rings. This kind of jewelry is useful in traditional ceremonies of various ethnicities in Timor-Leste. The knowledge of mixing coins with gold, bronze and silvers is actually still in practice in Bobonaro municipality particularly. The belak (Tetum, disk) is part of the traditional dress of various East Timorese ethnicities. It is a round disk, usually made of bronze, but also of gold or silver.