Fataluku
The Fataluku ( Fatalukunu , Fataluco , Dagaga , Dagoda , Dagada ) are an ethnic group on the easternmost tip of the island of Timor in the East Timorese municipality of Lautém . In 2015 there were 41,500 speakers of the Fataluku language . The term “Fataluku” is made up of “ fata ” (clear, direct) and “ luku ” (speech). In older, mostly Portuguese sources, the name Dagada is used, but it is not common as a self-name. Possibly it is a foreign name that the Makasae used in Baucau .
Overview
Although the Fataluku speak a Papuan language, culturally they have more similarities than differences to the other, mostly Austronesian- speaking ethnic groups of East Timor. It is generally assumed that the Melanesians 3000 BC. Immigrated to Timor and from 2500 BC. Were partially ousted by descending Austronesian groups . The Fataluku are now suspected of reaching Timor after the Austronesians from the east and that they displaced or assimilated them instead. The Bomberai Peninsula of New Guinea is believed to have originated here. Such a scenario is also speculated among the Makasae.
The traditional social class system still plays a role with the Fataluku today. A distinction is made between the layer of kings (Raju) , the middle layer of the Paca and the lower layer of the Akanu . Only the stratum of kings was allowed to own land. Even today, the descendants of Liurai von Moro are said to own a large part of the land in the municipality of Lautém.
Like many of the ethnic groups of Timor, every clan of the Fataluku (ratu) has a corresponding founding myth, which tells of the immigration of the ancestors to Timor. At the landing sites (ia mari tulia) are the boats of the ancestors, which are said to have turned to stone there. These “stone boats” are partly natural rock formations, partly they were also built artificially. The place where the ancestors are said to have built their first settlement was previously marked with carved figures of a man and a woman looking towards their origins. As a result of the war during the Indonesian occupation, many of these figures were often brought closer to or into the existing settlements, as they were often the target of desecration and vandalism. In many places there are old fortifications ( pamakolo or laca ) and settlements on hills (lata paru) , which are associated with the ancestors. In them there are graves of the ancestors (calu luturu) made of large stones. They are still the target of great veneration today, despite the Catholic faith that has now become widespread. The Kati ratu and the Tutuala ratu are special . Their legends tell that they come from their current home, which indicates that they may have been in Timor longer than other Fataluku and were assimilated by them. The elders of Tutuala ratu are traditionally called "Lord of the Land" (mua ocawa) . They therefore have special rights and obligations during ceremonies. There are 24 different rats in Suco Tutuala alone .
Despite their Catholic faith, Fataluku families often still have animistic house shrines (aca kaka) . Ritual fire pits ensure the spiritual protection of the members of the extended family. The ancestors are sacrificed offal and rice as food (fané) or the male family members share “holy meat” (leura tei) . At burials of old members of a clan, nololonocaw (master of song, master of words) intends a ritual chant (nololo) in which the soul of the deceased is sent along the path of the ancestors in order to unite with the origin. Sometimes it is said that the dead "went to plant coconuts in the land of the first village."
Twice a year, the Mechi , the collection of the genital segments of the Meci worms ( Eunice viridis ), takes place with the Fataluku at certain points on the coast of the administrative offices of Lospalos , Lautém and Tutuala . The smaller Mechi kiik takes place in the last quarter of the moon in February and the large Mechi boat at the new moon in March . The harvest of this maritime annelid marks the beginning of a new annual cycle for agriculture and is celebrated with festivities in the villages. The Fataluku wade with torches through the shallow areas on the bank to catch the light-sensitive worm, which spawns in large numbers here. In addition to singing and dancing, building alliances is an important part of the festival. This also applies to the alliance of the ritual leaders with nature and the spirits and the alliance between the political leaders and the population. The worms are marinated raw with chilli and lemon and are considered a delicacy as a salad. In addition, fish, corn, rice, beans, palm wine and betel nuts are served at the feast. The ritual offerings on the day after the harvest are called fane , "feeding the spirits".
Since East Timor's independence in 2002, various old traditions have been revived, such as the Tara Bandu , the ritual prohibition imposed on certain places. They are called "guarded areas" (téi) . For example, entering and fishing is prohibited on the island of Jaco . However, the ban is repeatedly ignored in order to bring tourists to the island. Only the ban on staying overnight is largely adhered to. During the Indonesian occupation (1975–1999), such traditions as the mechi were forbidden.
The Téis are regularly visited by members of the respective council. Rice, eggs, pork, palm wine, but also live chickens and pigs are sacrificed here to pray for fertility and the well-being of people and the country. Entering the Téi without a member of the associated ratus, according to the Fataluku belief, brings disaster.
Traditional clothing
.jpg)
The fabrics commonly known as " Tais " in East Timor are called "Lau" in Fataluku. The place name "Lautém" is derived from the term "holy cloth" on Fataluku. The fabrics for men are called Nami Lau or Lau Sekuru . It is either wrapped around the waist or placed over the shoulders. The tubular wrap- around skirts for women are called Tupur Lau or Lau Tupurarhini . They are wrapped around the hips or the chest or as a shawl in two to three layers. The number of Lau and the order in which you wear them depends on the value of the individual fabrics. Both garments are sewn together from two individual fabrics. The lau are stored in special baskets with lids: the round Poko or Leu Kaisala . A leaf of tobacco or camphor is used as an insect repellent. Since lau cannot be washed, the fabrics are hung in the sun for half an hour after wearing.
The plants used in the Fataluku Language most frequently for coloring are the root of the Nonibaums ( Morinda citrifolia ), the leaves of Charunu -Pflanze of the genus Indigofera and Roko-Roko ( Caesalpinia sappan for reds). There are also introduced synthetic colors. In addition to Ikat (Fataluku: Sisirana ) and Sotis (Fataluku: kei 'lana ), three other techniques are used: with an additional weft thread (Rata Hurana) , an additional warp thread (Ter) and image knitting (porosana) .
For the motifs, the Fataluku use objects from their own environment. In Fatu Hoi Lu , the patterns of the carvings of the holy houses (Fataluku: Lee-teinu ) are adopted. Vata Asa Kai Kai Roko shows details of the leaves of the coconut palm. Other leaves, flowers and animals can also serve as models, but also combs, bracelets or the traditional fire pits with three stones. Some motifs are reserved for specific families, castes or village communities. Some motifs are considered sacred, for example when they refer to sacred sites such as the cave of Ile Kére Kére , with its prehistoric rock carvings. Sacred motifs include Ifi Lau , a worm pattern associated with the story of the Fonseca family from Tutuala .
See also
- Tranqueira - fortifications near the Fataluku
Web links
- Sean WM Collins, Xisto Martins, Andrew Mitchell, Awegechew Teshome and John T. Arnason: Fataluku medicinal ethnobotany and the East Timorese military resistance , Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2007.
- Andrew McWilliam: Fataluku Forest Tenures and the Conis Santana National Park in East Timor
- Rosália EM Soares .: The Textiles of Lautem - Timor-Leste
Individual evidence
- ↑ Direcção-Geral de Estatística : Results of the 2015 census , accessed on November 23, 2016.
- ↑ a b c d e Andrew McWilliam: Austronesians in linguistic disguise: Fataluku cultural fusion in East Timor ( Memento of the original from November 7, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 171 kB)
- ^ Population Settlements in East Timor and Indonesia ( Memento of February 2, 1999 in the Internet Archive ) - University of Coimbra
- ^ Antoinette Schapper: Finding Bunaq: The homeland and expansion of the Bunaq in central Timor. Pp. 163-186, in: Andrew McWilliam, Elizabeth G. Traube: Land and Life in Timor-Leste: Ethnographic Essays. 2011.
- ↑ Lautém District Development Plan 2002/2003 ( Memento of the original dated February 3, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (English; PDF file; 1.97 MB).
- ^ A b c John Norman Miksic, Geok Yian Goh, Sue O Connor: Rethinking Cultural Resource Management in Southeast Asia: Preservation, Development, and Neglect. 2011, ISBN 978-0-85728-389-4 .
- ↑ Brochure of the National Park Nino Konis Santana (English; PDF; 3.8 MB), accessed on December 25, 2012.
- ^ The Timor-Leste Coastal / Marine Habitat Mapping for Tourism and Fisheries Development Project, Project No 2, Coastal and Marine Ecotourism Values, Issues and Opportunities on the North Coast of Timor Leste, Final Report, October 2009 ( Memento from March 29, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 15.2 MB), accessed on December 28, 2012.
- ^ A b The Timor-Leste Coastal / Marine Habitat Mapping for Tourism and Fisheries Development Project, Project No 4, Conservation Values, Issues and Planning in the Nino Konis Santana Marine Park, Timor Leste - Final Report, October 2009 ( Memento from 29. March 2013 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 9.2 MB), accessed on December 28, 2012.
- ↑ a b Lisa Palmer, Demétrio do Amaral de Carvalho : Nation building and resource management: The politics of 'nature' in Timor Leste ( Memento of the original from February 1, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 343 kB) , accessed on December 28, 2012.
- ↑ Rosália EM Soares, p. 9.
- ↑ Rosália EM Soares, p. 11.
- ↑ Rosália EM Soares, pp. 13 & 14.
- ↑ Rosália EM Soares, p. 12.
- ↑ Rosália EM Soares: The Textiles of Lautem - Timor-Leste , p. 13, accessed on August 31, 2017.
