The Tetum, also known as Tetun or Belu in Indonesia, are an ethnic group that are the indigenous inhabitants of the island of Timor.
Origins
Among the Tetum Terik of
Viqueque, it is believed that the first humans emerged from two orfices or vaginas, "Mahuma" and "Lequi Bui", emerging on the ground by climbing sacred tendrils. Therefore, among the Tetum Terik, the door of the house is traditionally referred to as the vagina and the inside is called WOMB, the women's room. According to their beliefs, the Tetum Terik universe, which is divided into the underworld and the upper world, is connected through a woman's vagina. The lower or sacred world is defined as feminine, dominated by women, while the secular and masculine upper world is occupied by men. According to their beliefs, the two worlds must be united, otherwise infertility, disease and death will threaten.
Based on stories that have been passed down from generation to generation, it is believed that the Tetum ethnic group originally came from Malacca on the Malay Peninsula, then moved to several places before finally arriving on the island of Timor, namely in the eastern part of the island. This story is also believed to be the origin of the founding of the in West Timor, which is one of the kingdoms led by the Tetum ethnic group.
Overview
The Malayo-Polynesian Tetum form the largest ethnic group in
East Timor with approximately 450,000 people and the second largest in West Timor with 500,000 people. They only migrated in the 14th century, when according to their records, the Tetum people came from
Malacca. First they settled in the centre of the island and pushed the
Atoni Meto to the western part of Timor. They then advanced further east and founded four kingdoms, of which
Wehali was the most powerful. Likewise, their language became the
lingua franca in the centre and east of the island. Even today, Tetums live in the centre of the island on both sides of the border and on the southeastern coast.
The Tetum speak various dialects of Tetum language. Tetun Prasa is the official language of East Timor alongside Portuguese. In East Timor alone, over 432,766 people speak Tetum as their first language (2015). Of the different dialects, 361,027 East Timorese stated that Tetun Prasa is their mother tongue, 71,418 mentioned Tetun Terik, and 321 mentioned Nanaek (2015).
The historical exonym Belu means 'friend' or 'protector'. Therefore, the eastern part of the island of Timor was called Belu during colonial times.
In contrast to other Tetun speakers, the "Tetum Terik Fehan" are matriarchy organised, which is otherwise only the case in Bunak language and Galoli language in East Timor. The Tetum Terik Fehan ethnic group lives in Manufahi, Cova Lima, Bobonaro and Manatuto.
Culture
Traditional dance
One of the traditional dances of the Tetun ethnic group is the , which is danced by women to welcome guests or fighters returning from war.
Wedding
Tetum women who are and have been married traditionally wear
with certain motifs that symbolise their social status. Tetum brides and grooms also have traditional clothing equipped with headdresses, fabrics, necklaces, studs, and other jewellery with distinctive patterns and meanings.
See also
Further reading
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David Hicks: A maternal religion, the role of women in Tetum myth and ritual. 1984, (= Special Report. no. 22; Monograph series of Southeast Asia). DeKalb Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Northern Illinois University, .
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B. A. G. Vroklage: Ethnographie der Belu in Zentral-Timor. Band 1, Leiden 1952.
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W. Woertelboer: Zur Sprache und Kultur der Belu (Timor). In: Anthropos. 50.1, 1955, pp. 155–200.
