UNDERSTANDING CULTURE IN CHANGE & EVANGELIZATION AS PARALLELISM AND TREND OF THE YOUNG TIMORESE

INTRODUCTION

a) Background of understanding the change

We may compare history with a flowing river. Herakletos wrote his idea about change that, the very river in which you bathe a second time is no longer the same one, which you entered before. New generation brings new air and new paradigm, while the former one left new footprints behind. Generation has come and gone unnoticeably. Everything is in change and moving towards its goal. Time is moving tirelessly towards the end. We should look into the deep if we want to understand fully what realities are.

It is true that nothing is new under heaven, said Qoheleth in the Bible, however, we also need to look from other perspective and context. He is true, because every change takes place in something unchangeable. With these two perspectives, we would fully understand that history is a dialectical process of continuity and discontinuity.

There are two things, which we should distinguish: substance and accident. In the cultural context, there should only have a formal change, not substantial change. Therefore, we must contextualize every idea of change. We could understand Qoheleth ´idea in parallel with the Lavoisier´s principle about the eternity of energy, that it is neither created nor eliminated. Its change is merely a formal change: energy is changeable into a mass, and the mass in return is changeable into energy. That process is continuous reversibly but never touched the substance. Nothing is substantially new.

The young people are agent of change in society as well as in cultures or traditions. However, very often they get confused. Culture is the product of human intelligence transmitted, renewed and enriched from generation to generation. Culture too is an art, which expresses oneself, such as her/his intelligence and creativity, his/her feelings and emotions. Then such a culture is imitated from time to time with different nuance and subtle change. Therefore, it brings new perspective to every new age in the history of humanity and then creates a new world as well. As agent of change they should be critical and précised in their observations.

Our time is known as post-modern age, or high tech, where pluralism of cultural values globally takes place. This globalization causes dramatic changes spectacularly. Such changes form a single modern culture marked by a highly civilized society. It is a great revolution in civilization, which is affecting almost detail lifestyles of all peoples around the world. It is also a threat for primordialism, where primitive peoples and their cultures are marginalized. Little by little, they would get lost their cultural identity. It is a revolution of mentality, which could bring an easy life and sloth amidst high competitions.

In this paper, I would like to present to you my own personal opinion and view about the Timorese culture including trend of the young in this changing society. I will discuss more focus on its traditional belief and the Catholic faith as a parallelism. Its content is more about understanding the meaning of the Timorese belief and cultural practices. I just limit myself with the “fatuk & ai lulik (sacred objects: stone and tree)” and “uma lulik” (shrine), as parallel with Christian faith. At the same time, I would also present my own view about language as an integral part of the cultural expression, which many times appears as a controversial issue or a polemic in Timor Leste.

Everything written in this paper is simply based on my own observations, investigation and research, including data gathering from the elders whom I had met during my pastoral experience in the rural and mountains of Baucau, Lospalos and some part of Viqueque, even several parts of Atabae and Ermera. At the same time, this paper is my own analysis and perceptions about the social and cultural phenomena in the Timorese society. The objective of the paper is to initiate a comprehensive study about the Timorese.

I. UNDERSTANDING THE TIMORESE VIEW ABOUT COSMOS

The religiosity of the people was born from their religious experience in the universe. Nature is sacred (lulik) for the Timorese (like all primitive peoples of Asia, Africa, America and pacific islands, in general). In this context, I want to discuss more on the Timorese primitive or those who are conservatives (primordial Timorese).

Why do they look at nature as sacred? They have fundamental reason although are unable to explain it. Their incapacity to explain reflects a unique characteristic, which classifies them with other eastern people distinguished from the Europeans (westerns). They are characterized as centripetal people, heart oriented people, who are just contemplating realities in the universe as they are, and absorbing them without any desire to rationalize. Unlike the centrifugal people, head oriented people, who are tending to analyse and rationalize realities in the universe or discharging them by naming or reasoning.

Religiosity of any people is born and grown from the experience of contemplation on the movements in the cosmos. Experience is locus for divine manifestation. Faith was born from such a religious experience and without any rationalization. In addition, theology as science came later on influenced by headed people. It is also the same experience with primordial Timorese.

Below I want to enlighten on the Timorese belief as expressed in “fatuk & ai lulik” and “uma lulik”. They are just representatives of the entire Timorese cultural identity in its religious expressions.

A. Sacred Stone & Tree (Fatuk & Ai Lulik)

The Timorese consider everything is sacred (lulik) because God, the Creator of all things, is Sacred. It is a very simple logic, that God is sacred, therefore, everything he has created is also sacred as well. No word can describe God and he is merely associated with creation. Fear of God is considered as highly respect above all other respects. The name of the island itself, Timor (temor), characterizes the people. They did not mention God, only the Sacred (Lulik), which was associated with the Sun & the Moon. Even they could not mention the Sun & the Moon very often, because both were associated with the Sacred (God). The Makasae people call him as “Uru Watu”, the Fataluku call him “Uru Watsu”, the Waima´a-Midiki-Naueti call him “Lara Wulo or Bo´odai (supernatural person) or Hire Ulatu (our head)”.

The next hierarchy of respect is the souls (matebian), especially of their ancestors. Even they couldn´t mention their names arbitrarily, except there would be a need and should be done in a ceremony (asking permission first). The third hierarchy of respect is nature, which should be preserved and cared. Human being is part of nature, therefore, bloodshed is forbidden otherwise would cause fatal destiny (curse/plague) in the future.

This belief implies the fear of mountains and wellsprings as the dwelling places of the Sacred. That is why there are many traditional shrines (uma lulik) in the slopes of mountains and on the tops of hills. God is one with his creations but distinguished from them as an entity beyond our thoughts. This hierarchy of respect is regulated by ethical norms and rules. Those who violate the norms and rules would be punished by the Sacred or by the souls as the right hand of the Sacred.

With this reason and in this context, I personally support that belief (in fatuk & ai lulik) can be justified. If we compare it with the Catechism of the Catholic Church that God is in heaven, on earth and in everywhere, then it is also justifiable. However, only sometimes they have exaggerated and brought to confusions. God´s omnipresence is undeniable. If we ask them about God, they would simply answer “Lulik” (Sacred) and our mind cannot reach. If you ask them about the names of their ancestors, they would answer the same.

Lulik, which they referred to is a noun, not an adjective. They have admitted that they do not really worship the stones or trees as objects per se, but it is “Lulik” himself, who is present in the objects, to whom they address their worship. They are capable to observe and aware of any supernatural power present in certain stones and trees or any other objects. This power can be used for healing or any other needs as blessing. It can be also used to exorcise the demon from a house or a person.

They use signs and symbols to communicate with the Sacred through words and actions. The objective of such a communication is simply to worship the Sacred for the blessings of good harvest or good health. There are also intercessions for various needs. This worship is always with sacrifice of a victim, normally a goat or a lamb and sometime just a chicken or any other animal.

In this context, I understand that the primordial belief of the Timorese is also monotheistic: one Sacred who is present in everywhere. He is Transcendent and at the same time is Immanent. Therefore, it was not hard for them to perceive God who manifests himself in nature as he did to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and other prophets. As He revealed himself and his power to them through natural objects or phenomena like rainbow, rain, cloud, wind, fire, water, stone and tree, as well as in the form of men in Mamre (anthropomorphism), etc. Finally, with the great revelation of God himself in Jesus Christ, the Son of God who became Man (incarnation).

B. The Shrine (Uma Lulik)

The shrine is also called uma lisan (a house of tradition). This house, in the first place, is a symbol of communion among the living and the souls with the Sacred. Such a communion is a link between Fetosan (family of the bridegroom) & Umane (family of the bride) who belong to the same “uma lisan” or coming from the same tradition and share the same origin (generated from the same root). It is sacred because in this house people make a pact (covenant) of friendship and celebrate wedding ceremony (which is very meaningful) and any other sacred ceremonies.
They have also ema lulik, a mature and trusted man (can be charismatic) who acts as a presbyter (priest). His job is to pray over (hamulak) and to offer sacrifice to the Sacred and as well as to the souls (matebian); this is something different from the Catholic Teaching, that a sacrifice is only addressed to God. The presbyter does all in the name of the community of the same “uma lisan”. Therefore, the function of the Shrine is a place to gather for prayer and sharing of meal as a community from the same root (origin/ancestors). It is a golden opportunity to meet and to know one another. Such a ceremony happens only once a year or depends on the needs.

Uma lulik (the Shrine = house of tradition) also becomes a place for reconciliation. The act of reconciliation with one another is bound by blood, either human blood or that of animals, in order to reintegrate and to re-encounter both sides that are in conflict. Even any violation of norms or rules needs a reconciliation by confessing one´s own fault in the shadow of uma lulik. Through this act, they could always renew and strengthen their friendship and family tie in the presence of the souls and the Sacred under its shadow. The shrine is parallel with the Church. Between the two, there is no contradiction because both share the same idealism and goal: to promote communion by insisting justice, peace and harmony.

The shrine is not a place to worship the objects within it, but it is a place to exercise memory handed over from their ancestors. The worship is addressed primarily to the Sacred, and the souls are merely as a bridge or mediator. It can be noticed when the presbyter (ema lulik) addresses the prayer (hamulak): “Hato´o ba hatutan ba!” (inform to & transmit to!). Inform and transmit to whom? It is addressed to the Sacred whom they fear most. Then, who would inform and transmit to? It is the role of the souls (matebian).

The Timorese ancestors were very religious and pious in their primitive belief. Today some of them imitate what they did but not really touch its full expression. They believe that death is just a transformation, though there was no terminology for the resurrection. The living and the dead are one (communion among the living and the dead).

I personally do not agree with the idea that the primordial Timorese were/are merely animists (those who worship animals) and dynamists (those who worhip objects/stones & trees). There might be some elements of animism and dynamism in the traditional beliefs; however, they were just as a means of its expression, not its end (telos). If we agree that they were merely dynamists or animists, then how could we justify our Catholic faith as expressed in the symbols of statue, dove, lamb, bread and wine, etc? I think we need to introspect deeply to our own cultural religiosity in order to explain ourselves better to this modern world.

II. ETHICAL & MORAL IMPLICATION

The primordial Timorese had an attitude toward nature and neighbours always in a family spirit, handle with respect, care, and preserve as God´s image or his self-disclosure. In the context of respect to the neighbours, there were three ethical and moral duties, which bound them together:

1) The role of kings (liurai) or royal ethics: reign over the people with full authority and dignity;

2) The role of ordinary people (free men and women): loyal to the demands and decrees of the kings faithfully;

3) The role of the slaves: serve and highly respect for their masters/mistresses (normally the noble families) with great humility.

The impact in the society is peace and harmony due to the moral and ethical obligations of every social status. The Sacred, through the souls, would act as a judge. The demands of respect for nature and neighbours (including their properties) were highly considered. People were afraid of the punishment. However, the kings were exempted from any punishment because they were considered as representatives of the Sacred, therefore, provided more spaces for them to abuse their power. In respect to the nature, there were ethical rules and norms in order to avoid any arbitrary acts, which might destroy the ecosystem and bring calamity to the community. The raining season was regular because of such a harmony in the nature, unlike today is very irregular as a global phenomenon.

We just look at them as they were, although we might not really agree with certain practices, we cannot judge because it was their context and their world.

III. INCARNATION OF THE GOSPEL´S MESSAGE

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish, but to fulfil” (Mt. 5, 17). Everything written in the Law and the Prophets is all about Jewish Cultural Tradition born from their own experience of God! Evangelization is not meant to abolish traditions and cultures but to bring them to perfection. Inculturation of the Gospel´s message and values into the local cultural tradition is essential in order to save the people and the culture. The coming of Jesus Christ as a man is fundamental proof of inculturation. The technical term of inculturation refers to a process of evangelizing the cultures. The process is meant to incarnate the message of the Gospel into local religious practices and other cultural practices. Culture is locus for God´s revelation and experience (history) is the context of that revelation. Christian faith is very humanistic in its nature because Jesus was very much human in his approach to the people and their cultural tradition in view of saving them.

What is the relevance of the Christian Faith in the Timorese culture then and now? In the above descriptions, we are enlightened that the religiosity of primitive Timorese has obviously shown the Gospel´s values in all aspects. Those cultural and religious values serve as the seeds of the Word of God at the pre-evangelization period. Those human and religious values, as expressed in worship and life, are no other than what Jesus taught. Therefore, evangelization was just to enrich and purify some contradicted elements in the cultural practices. To evangelize the people is to evangelize the culture as well, because it is an integral part of a human person. The Christian faith has already been assimilated in the life of the Timorese then and now, therefore it´s identified with their cultural traditions and expressions.

Conversion does not mean leaving one´s own cultural tradition and practices. It means turning to Christianity in order to enrich and enlighten more and more his/her cultural traditions and expressions, besides to purify some of their contradicted elements, because to convert means to change one´s direction in order to attain his/her goal. In other word, calling for conversion as implied in the evangelization is to bring cultures to perfection. Conversion does not mean a change of one´s cultural identity. It is not a substantial change, but an accidental change. One example, the flaming fire appeared to Moses in the desert did not change anything substantial in the bush.

The problem with our traditional religious practice is that it is integrally part of our culture, therefore, it is ambiguous to be distinguished from other practices in the culture itself. That is why it´s very hard for the people in the rural and mountain to leave their traditional worship as expressed through the stones and trees or wellsprings, etc. It needs a continuous dialogue between the Timorese culture and Catholic faith.

To be fully converted is very hard for the primordial people even for us today because of the limited dialogue. The main issue is all about the perception and terminology. Therefore, we need to study carefully and to analyse precisely about the matter. That is also the reason for many peoples around the globe, like Asians, Africans, Latin Americans, and pacific islanders, who have a strong sense of religiosity linked with their cultural traditions, have been suspecting the conversion to Christianity. It is a complicated matter; therefore, dialogue between Gospel and Cultures is going on. It is true that we cannot change our cultural identity, because if we change then we would loose it or could damage it; and it is neither the purpose of the message of Gospel. To save the cultures is integrally part of God´s plan for the universal salvation.

IV. THE ROLE OF THE YOUNG

The role of the young is essential in every development and change. Jesus is the trend in change: faithful to their tradition, every week gathered in the Synagogue to hear the Word of God and every year went to the Temple of Jerusalem for annual celebration of the Passover, while calling people to conversion or to a change of mentality. The trend of the young is very progressive and creative of imitating, and always dreaming about something new in their lives. Jokingly, they are very slippery (namdoras liu, kaer la metin/Karla). They have such good values for change but sometime excessive.

The young Timorese have a dramatic experience of change in those past years immediately after and before the independence. It´s just another page in their history: from oppression to freedom. That is a big change and an excessive challenge for them as well. Exactly when the international staffs arrived introducing another world totally different for many of them. Experience of pluralism at the time of occupation was reinforced intensively with the presence of multinational cultures from all over the world. Culturally, the Timorese are under threat. The young are growing excessively. Now is the time to wake up in order to save our young and to protect Timorese cultural identity in all aspects. In this context, they also need a primordial view in their approach to changes in front of the stream of global influences, which has been eroding the cultural identity.

Political change has a very big impact in the lifestyle of the people, affected more the young who are still in the stage of kaer la metin. The young intellectuals are powerless and unorganized, and others are politically manipulated. The wounds of division caused by the ignorance and emotional tensions are tremendous and larger. As agent of change the young should be critical and précised about the substance of their cultural identity. They have to be aware that we can change certain elements in the culture in order to be updated (or to be more human), but cannot change its substance. A substantial change is a suicide or a cultural damage. The constitutions and laws should be more inculturated and contextualized, otherwise they would confuse about principles and realities.

Therefore, the role of education is very urgent for the young in order:

- To heal the wounds of brokenness among the Timorese;
- To make options and to choose precisely;
- To analyze and distinguish things logically and truthfully;
- To understand all changes in the right perspective.

In other word, the goal of education is to form the young to become wise and intellectually authentic and critical in decisions. The education should be in balance between theory and practice in order to produce young intellectual theoretic and pragmatic. It is an urgent need to defend and to preserve all positive values of other cultures integrated and assimilated in our cultural identity, including the Catholic faith with its evangelical values, which are integrally part of the Timorese People.

Now the Timorese are killing themselves because of the political divisive issue of western-eastern in the Society. That is a phenomenon of cultural devastation after the independence. As we are moving on we should be aware of the threat of a lost expressed in the actual situation mirrored from the past. The acts of lootings, burnings, destroying, and killings, are a reflection of the lost of cultural identity and creating a barbarous culture and an uncivilized society. It should be restored urgently, because it involves the young people as future of the Country and its culture.

V. LANGUAGE AS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF CULTURAL EXPRESSION

There are three functions of language:

1) informative: informing something in my mind to someone;
2) expressive: showing myself and feelings to someone;
3) communicative/appellative: communicating my plan & desire to someone or calling him/her to communion (friendship).

It is in this context that we could understand the importance of our own language as our cultural expression. Tetum and other Timorese dialects, which form our ways of communication, of expression, and of information, are essential to be preserved and developed. Other foreign languages (Portuguese, Indonesian, and English) are merely instruments for our native languages´ development, especially Tetum as national language, and one day would be better as an official language. Portuguese is not really originally part of our cultural expression; however we cannot deny that it shares in the Timorese history some aspects of development and enrichment in its cultural identity.

I have learnt eight national languages, but I never found any perfect expression about myself in any of them, except in my own native language. Therefore, what we should do is to develop and use a language, which is authentically Timorese expression. It is only Tetum, which we can refer to, as representative of all other Timorese dialects. The Portuguese, Indonesian, and English, are only essential and relevant in the process of development of Tetum. Option for Portuguese as official language is merely a political decision, which does not fully reflect our cultural expression, except it would help us to develop Tetum´s grammar, to promote it and to make it perfect in its literary expression. We should be more realistic in this context of choice or option. A language that is not part of our cultural expression is also not viable used in all school teachings, especially in the primary school teachings.

By Father Jose Cancio, SDB