Refashioning Fataluku origin houses

Andrew McWilliam

Research output: Chapter in Book / Conference PaperChapter

Abstract

A prominent feature of post-independence Timor-Leste has been a sustained ‘return to custom’ across the country. This includes the phased rebuilding of clan origin houses (Uma Lulik: ‘sacred house’), many of which were destroyed during the Indonesian occupation. As economic conditions improve, Uma Lulik are once again becoming architectural features of the rural landscape. In this paper, I reflect on the delayed re-emergence of the Fataluku equivalent of the Uma Lulik and the innovative changes that have been made to traditional construction in recent years. The changes speak to shared expressions of a characteristic pragmatism that epitomises Fataluku cultural adaptation to changing circumstances and the embrace of modernity. It also highlights what is arguably, following Gudeman (2016), a successful economic accommodation between mutuality and the market.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEconomic Diversity in Contemporary Timor-Leste
EditorsKelly Silva, Lisa Palmer, Teresa Cunha
Place of PublicationNetherlands
PublisherLeiden University Press
Pages275-294
Number of pages20
ISBN (Print)9789087283957
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Open Access - Access Right Statement

This book is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.

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