A Proud Atoin Meto

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I was asked to write something about Timor based of my point view as an Atoin Meto who grew up in Timor Tengah Selatan, especially in Kapan, North Mollo. It is a very big pleasure of me to share about how proud  I am to be born as a Timorese. Many things to explain, but I will make it short why I and all the Timorese people should be proud for our homeland.

Firstly, I would talk about the land. Everything is still natural in Mollo, where you can easily breathe and feel the cold air without any doubt about how many poison that already filled your lungs. You may consider it as something exaggerate. But yeah, it’s true, even though it is still hard to find a good signal for your gadget, proper transportation and some other things that related to modern life.

Ume Kbubu

When I was a kid, I spent many time playing in the forest with friends. We made toys from what items that is available on us like newspaper, rubber band, trees, leaves, woods, can, bottle, rind and et cetera. And it was so amazing that I have ever experience that kind of childhood things. What I learn from my childhood is the importance of being connected with the nature. It taught us be more creative, to utilize everything around us for our own goods. 

The second thing is how I perceive Timorese people, which in Dawanese language we called “Atoin Meto.” Some people may consider that Timorese people are lazy, because when they woke up in the morning, the first thing that they do is sitting inside “Ume Kbubu” to warmth their body.  Yeah, true, but that is not what I want to talk about. The point is, Timorese people are very open with new things. Hundred years ago, many Chinese, Savunese, Bugis people, Muslims, Catholic, Rotenese and Flores people came to this island as merchants. Timorese people accepted them with an open hand and since that time they are peacefully living alongside one and another. Some of them married with Timorese, making families and having a good relation one and another without taking the diversity as a disaster. The proof of good assimilation and acculturation in Timor can be seen in Mollonese Monarchy where some of them are Chinese descent.

Want to know another example? Just come to Kapan, a small town in North Mollo during the time of Easter or Christmas celebration. You will see many Muslims (where most of them are Bugis descents from South Celebes) who participate in some of the celebration. They join the parade of Easter, they attend to many competition and blend with the atmosphere of Christmas or Easter. They celebrate it also without worrying to lose their faith.

Not only that.  You may consider to attend wedding party in Kapan. You will find that there will be a special dining table for Muslims, for they are prohibited to eat pork. The dining table for Muslims are served with dishes that contains halal food, which means that there will be no pork in their food. Isn’t amazing? Diversity proves peace.

Last but not least, the third thing that I want to share is I am so proud with the culture of Timorese people that is still preserve until this era. One of the Timorese philosophy is about how we regards the earth as like as we regards human body. It says that:

 “Nasi Fani on Nafus, Fatu Fani on Nuif, Afu Fani on Nesa, Oel Fani on Na’”

Which means: “The forest is our hair, the stone is our bone, the land is our flesh and the water is our blood.”  This philosophy proves how deep and how strong the relationship between human and Mother Nature. For Timorese people, earth is a mother, and they are her children. What they do is to protect their mother who is giving them life and provide everything that they need.   Timorese people respect the earth as like as they respect their body, and if one part of them is taken away, they are paralyzed. Nature and human cannot be separated. We life alongside, also depending on one and another.

Living in a small town called Kapan taught me to be someone with a strong will who is not easy to give up. My parents once told me to believe that it doesn’t matter where I came from, I have to prove that even I am from a small town that is lack on many things, I can stand as high as people who is living with prosperity. It motivates me to pursue my dream, yet I am not forgotten where I came from. Since high school I left my hometown, but I still remember what they said to me and what should I do for my hometown after I got the dream in my hand. Because wherever I go, I am still bringing my title as a Timorese, as an Atoin Meto who were born in a small town, near the river down the mountain. Mollo has taught me to dreams without limits. 

For those who has never been in Mollo, I do hope that my reflection could be a picture to you, to understand and to know more about Mollo. And for Atoin Meto who read this, be proud of who we are, and perceive everything in our motherland as a gift from God that we should responsible to keep it, to develop it while not leaving its roots. And do remember that“you can take a Timorese out of Timor, but you cannot take Timor out of a Timorese.”

Sincerely,

Thomas Benmetan