State Appropriation of Traditional Actors and Oral Narratives in Timor-Leste
In Timor-Leste, the lia na`in (lian = word; na`in = lord, master) – leaders of customary practice – are becoming key to tradition, to “kultura” (culture), an emerging area of public cultural policies. Traditionally associated with the local communities and the mountains, they are the ones that know...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | deu |
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SEAS - Society for South-East Asian Studies
2019-12-01
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| Series: | ASEAS - Austrian Journal of South-East Asian Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://aseas.univie.ac.at/index.php/aseas/article/view/3214/2936 |
| _version_ | 1819038906109132800 |
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| author | Lúcio Sousa |
| author_facet | Lúcio Sousa |
| author_sort | Lúcio Sousa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In Timor-Leste, the lia na`in (lian = word; na`in = lord, master) – leaders of customary practice – are becoming key to tradition, to “kultura” (culture), an emerging area of public cultural policies. Traditionally associated with the local communities and the mountains, they are the ones that know and pronounce the words that uncover the origin of the world, and the relationship between mankind, nature, and ancestors. Since 20 May 2002, when political power was handed from the United Nations to the Timorese authorities, several episodes have illustrated that the involvement of the lia na`in has shifted from their traditional local contexts to national ones. From small-scale sociopolitical agents, the lia na`in became a resource as buffers of conflict or of reconciliation, as council members of the suco, the smallest administrative division, and as actors in national state ceremonies, taking part in the process of (re)creating the nation’s cultural identity. The purpose of this article is to discuss the role assigned to lia na`in in state affairs and the nation, particularly the role concerning conflict resolution. The argument, I propose, is that the participation of the lia na`in, as a ritual authority, in state-sponsored ceremonies has become a major resource of credibility to the new national authorities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T08:44:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-04dca369564e46f3942b657c2c910a47 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-2521 1999-253X |
| language | deu |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T08:44:45Z |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | SEAS - Society for South-East Asian Studies |
| record_format | Article |
| series | ASEAS - Austrian Journal of South-East Asian Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-04dca369564e46f3942b657c2c910a472022-12-21T19:09:51ZdeuSEAS - Society for South-East Asian StudiesASEAS - Austrian Journal of South-East Asian Studies1999-25211999-253X2019-12-0112220922310.14764/10.ASEAS-0022State Appropriation of Traditional Actors and Oral Narratives in Timor-LesteLúcio SousaIn Timor-Leste, the lia na`in (lian = word; na`in = lord, master) – leaders of customary practice – are becoming key to tradition, to “kultura” (culture), an emerging area of public cultural policies. Traditionally associated with the local communities and the mountains, they are the ones that know and pronounce the words that uncover the origin of the world, and the relationship between mankind, nature, and ancestors. Since 20 May 2002, when political power was handed from the United Nations to the Timorese authorities, several episodes have illustrated that the involvement of the lia na`in has shifted from their traditional local contexts to national ones. From small-scale sociopolitical agents, the lia na`in became a resource as buffers of conflict or of reconciliation, as council members of the suco, the smallest administrative division, and as actors in national state ceremonies, taking part in the process of (re)creating the nation’s cultural identity. The purpose of this article is to discuss the role assigned to lia na`in in state affairs and the nation, particularly the role concerning conflict resolution. The argument, I propose, is that the participation of the lia na`in, as a ritual authority, in state-sponsored ceremonies has become a major resource of credibility to the new national authorities.https://aseas.univie.ac.at/index.php/aseas/article/view/3214/2936nation buildingoral traditionpeacebuildingpolitical legitimacytimor-leste |
| spellingShingle | Lúcio Sousa State Appropriation of Traditional Actors and Oral Narratives in Timor-Leste ASEAS - Austrian Journal of South-East Asian Studies nation building oral tradition peacebuilding political legitimacy timor-leste |
| title | State Appropriation of Traditional Actors and Oral Narratives in Timor-Leste |
| title_full | State Appropriation of Traditional Actors and Oral Narratives in Timor-Leste |
| title_fullStr | State Appropriation of Traditional Actors and Oral Narratives in Timor-Leste |
| title_full_unstemmed | State Appropriation of Traditional Actors and Oral Narratives in Timor-Leste |
| title_short | State Appropriation of Traditional Actors and Oral Narratives in Timor-Leste |
| title_sort | state appropriation of traditional actors and oral narratives in timor leste |
| topic | nation building oral tradition peacebuilding political legitimacy timor-leste |
| url | https://aseas.univie.ac.at/index.php/aseas/article/view/3214/2936 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT luciosousa stateappropriationoftraditionalactorsandoralnarrativesintimorleste |