Some of this article is translated from the existing German Wikipedia article at de:Kaibauk; see its history for attribution.
The Kaibauk is a type of headdress worn by the Timorese liurai. Traditionally made of silver, it is shaped like the horns of a water buffalo.
The buffalo horns are a widely used symbol in the cultures of Timor-Leste, both on the Kaibauk and on the roofs of traditional sacred houses (uma lulik in Tetun). They represent strength, security and protection. [1]
The counterpart to the Kaibauk is the Belak, a round bronze disc that is worn on the chest. It represents the moon and symbolises peace, prosperity and fertility. [1]
Kaibauk and Belak are meant to complement each other, their combination bringing harmony and balance. [1] [2]
While the Kaibauk is often associated with masculine power, and the Belak is often associated with feminine power, they can be worn by people of both genders. [3]
The Kaibauk is used on the obverse of all Timor-Leste centavo coins. [4] It is often represented on Timorese heraldry, and can be found on the flags of several political parties, such has KOTA, PDRT, PPT, UDT and UNDERTIM.
Tetum is an Austronesian language spoken on the island of Timor. It is one of the official languages of Timor-Leste and it is also spoken in Belu Regency and in Indonesian West Timor.
The culture of East Timor reflects numerous cultural influences, including Portuguese, Roman Catholic, and Malay, on the indigenous Austronesian cultures in East Timor.
The national flag of East Timor is one of the official symbols of East Timor. It consists of a red field with the black isosceles triangle based on the hoist-side bearing a white five-pointed star in the center superimposed on the larger yellow triangle, also based on the hoist-side, that extends to the center of the flag.
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 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.
Baucau is a municipality, and was formerly a district, of East Timor, on the northern coast in the eastern part of the country. The capital is also called Baucau. The population of the municipality is 111,694 and it has an area of 1,506 km².
The East Timor national football team is the national team of East Timor and is controlled by the Federação de Futebol de Timor-Leste (FFTL). They joined FIFA on 12 September 2005.
East Timor centavo coins were introduced in East Timor in 2003 for use alongside United States dollar banknotes and coins, which were introduced in 2000 to replace the Indonesian rupiah following the commencement of U.N. administration. One centavo is equal to one U.S. cent. Coins issued for general circulation are in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 centavos and feature images of local plants and animals. In 2013 a 100 centavos coin was introduced followed by a 200 centavos coin in 2017. The higher value coins, equivalent to US$1 and US$2 respectively, were designed to reduce the expense of replacing low-denomination U.S. banknotes as they wear out. As of 2023, East Timor does not yet issue its own banknotes.
The People's Party of Timor is a conservative political party in East Timor. Its predecessor was the Movimento do Povo de Timor-Leste MPTL. The PPT is described as a conservative, backward-looking traditional party with utopian ideas and monarchist and religious tendencies.
The Kemak people are an ethnic group numbering 80,000 in north-central Timor island. They primarily live in the district of Bobonaro, East Timor, while the rest live in the East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia.
The national emblem of East Timor is one of the national symbols of East Timor.
Traditional African masks play an important role in ceremonies, rituals, and masquerades across West, Central, and Southern Africa. Ceremonies in which masks are worn include harvest celebrations, funerals, rites of passage, weddings, and coronations. In some societies, masks and masquerades are also used to settle disputes and communal conflicts.
Tais is a form of Tenun weaving tradition native to the eastern Indonesian regions of the Maluku Islands, the Tanimbar Islands, and the East Nusa Tenggara Islands. It has become an essential part of people in the eastern Indonesia hemisphere region, which mainly used for ceremonial adornment, sign of respect and appreciation towards guests, friends, relatives, home decor, and personal apparel.
The majority of the population of East Timor is Christian, and the Catholic Church is the dominant religious institution, although it is not formally the state religion. There are also small Protestant and Sunni Muslim communities.
East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor - of which the western half is administered by Indonesia - the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-western half, and the minor islands of Atauro and Jaco. Australia is the country's southern neighbour, separated by the Timor Sea. The country's size is 14,874 square kilometres (5,743 sq mi). Dili is its capital and largest city.
The Timor-Leste national Under-23 football team represents the Timor-Leste in international football competitions in the Olympic Games, Asian Games, Southeast Asian Games and any other under-23 international football tournaments. It is controlled by the Federação de Futebol de Timor-Leste, the governing body of football in the country. Timor Leste is currently one of the weakest teams in the world. They won their first match on 5 November 2011 against Brunei, scoring 2–1.
East Timor is a multiparty parliamentary republic with a population of approximately 1.1 million, sharing the island of Timor with Indonesia's Nusa Tenggara province. During the 24 years of Indonesian occupation and after the 1999 independence referendum, pro Indonesian militias committed many human rights violations. The country gained independence in 2002, and free and fair elections were held in 2007. The United Nations Integrated Mission in East Timor (UNMIT) and the International Stabilization Force remain in the country while it develops its own security forces, the National Police (PNTL) and Defence Forces (F-FDTL).
The surik is a traditional sword native to the island of Timor or Nusa Tenggara in wider extent, as well as Sumatra. The first coat of arms of East Timor depicted crossed suriks.
The Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace is the official workplace of the President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. It is located in Avenida Presidente Nicolau Lobato, Bairro Pite, a suco of Dili, the capital city of East Timor, and has been the workplace of the President since 2009.
Batek Island or Fatu Sinai is a small uninhabited island located in the Savu Sea, northwest of the island of Timor, 9.3 km (5.8 mi) off the East Timorese municipality of Oecusse. The sovereignty of the island is disputed between Indonesia and East Timor.
Timorese wedding traditions apply to marriages on the island of Timor, which is divided between Indonesia and East Timor. The wedding traditions are still followed in about half of all marriages in East Timor. Ever since colonial times, there has been heated debate about the value of these traditions and the role of women in them.
