Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, a small country of 15,410 km²(5,400 sq mi), located about 640 km (400 mi) northwest of Darwin, Australia.
In the late 1975, East Timor declared its independence. However later that year, it was invaded and occupied by Indonesia and was made her 27th province the following year. In 1999, East Timor became the first new sovereign state of the 21st century on May 20, 2002. She is one of the two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia, the other being the Philippines.
The majority of the population of East Timor has been Catholic since early in the Portuguese colonial period. The Catholic faith became a central part of East Timorese culture during the Indonesian occupation between 1975 and 1999. The number of Catholics dramatically increased under Indonesian rule. This was for several reasons: Indonesia was predominantly Muslim; the Indonesian state required adherence to one of five officially recognised religions and did not recognise traditional beliefs; and because the Catholic church, which remained directly responsible to the Vatican throughout Indonesian rule, became a refuge for East Timorese seeking sanctuary from persecution.
THE CULTURE
East Timor's music reflects its history under the control of both Portugal and Indonesia, who have imported music like gamelan and fado. The most widespread form of native folk music was the likurai dance, performed to by women to welcome home men after war. They used a small drum and sometimes carried enemy heads in processions through villages; a modern version of the dance is used by women in courtship.
The guitar has long been an important part of East Timorese music, though it is an import brought by colonizers; there are however native kinds of string instruments similar in some ways to the guitar. Foreign influences also include popular styles of music like rock and roll, hip hop and reggae.
One of the two official languages in East Timor, is Tetum. In Tetum, "hemu been" would mean to drink water. "ki'ik mane" would mean little man. Travelling and interacting with the people of East Timor is not exactly very simple as the language is complicating yet interesting to listen to. Their culture, so unique and strong, exemplified in anything that they do, be it art or dance.
And I believe that this video says it all about her beautiful scenery:
7:01 AM
Cherie Seah Xinyi
Rafflesian; Tarbetian; RSP-ian; handbells Ex-CO
ONEOHNINE-er
TWOOHNINE-er
Bearing the scholarship of RSP, I thrive
to learn, to realise, to connect. Southeast Asia is bonded, not only by ASEAN, but it's the railways which connect us.
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