etwa

A gallery of images and reflections from our 2009 Weaving  Tour

In June/ July 2009 we ran our third Weaving Tour and achieved a major milestone – the realization of the Health Study. As in previous years, projects were undertaken to overlap with the Weaving Tour because this integrated approach saves valuable dollars; but it also increases the number of moving parts and size of the group. However the ease with which this trip unfolded made the coordination load seem far less intense this year. This was due to a combination of factors- experience, assistance, familiarity but chiefly because all the Aussie’s got along. The health study team and the weaving tour participants all shared similar views about sustainability and alternative health and development, so slipping into another way of being was almost painless in terms of impacting on each other. They also watched out for each other and for me too, which made my job as project manager almost painless. Consequently major difficulties didn’t stem from group dynamics at all rather just from the usual things that go can wrong anywhere, such as broken down buses.

We were again received with open arms by the weaving groups but more so in Iliomar this year because we came bearing extremely good news accompanied by Los Palos community activist, Maleve Guerra de Oliveira. Maleve is an experienced community worker and organizer, committed to social, cultural and environmental sustainability in Timor-Leste. He was born in Los Palos and spent the latter years of the occupation fighting alongside the resistance army. Maleve travelled with us for 95% of the trip and his guidance and assistance with everything from translations to ideas was a central ingredient in the trip’s success. The welcome news that we can help each group realize their dream of a work space was another key ingredient to success. Marcelina, the head of the Fuat group said that this achievement demonstrates ETWA’s commitment more than anything else. We also discussed the AVI position and the positive implications both of these developments pose for the communities.

Many amazing experiences were had by all. We attended a combined wedding reception/ 2^nd communion; gave gifts to a family who lost a loved in Fuat and watched as the men carved a coffin from a palm tree trunk. We saw ‘grandfather crocodile’ on the road from Los Palos to Baucau; saw whales playing in the ocean off the coast of Laga, and opportunely, I participated in a traditional justice ceremony in Cailiu known as a ‘tara bandu’ (lit: hang the forbidden), which was a personal highlight. However in this report I’ll concentrate on things that are relevant to our work with the weaving groups. The details of the Health Study will be reported by the research team so will only be discussed minimally here. Taryn will also prepare a separate report about her cotton research in Indonesia. However it’s important to mention that the outcomes of both research projects will have incredibly positive effects for hand-weavers in Lautem in the future. The projects also reveal a particular ETWA strength – a demonstrated capacity to support holistic development for these women and their communities.

Finally, a few major dilemmas took us over budget without stretching ETWA’s future budgetary considerations due to the fundraising efforts and contributions of the health study team and weaving tour participants and also the support of key ETWA members. I’d like to extend formal appreciation on behalf of ETWA and the weavers to all these amazing women for their positive energy, cooperative spirit and particularly for the support and encouragement shown to me during our five weeks in East Timor. Formal appreciation also to the weavers and their families; to Maleve Guerra de Oliveira and to our drivers Alto, Delphin and Juvenal.

Obrigada barak!

Deb Salvagno