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Iliomar - meaning ‘House of Stone’ - is an Administrative Post in the Lautém municipality. It is nestled amongst wild bushland and rugged mountains on the south coast at the eastern tip of Timor-Leste.
Amidst the drystone walls and undulating hills, the whispers of the Makalero language echo among 7,000 people across the six villages. Although considered disadvantaged, life is calm here and Iliomar’s strengths and riches lie in community and culture.
Legend tells of ancestors from another land crossing the sea to settle in Iloimar’s highlands. This tale is preserved through song, dance, and ritual, honouring the ancestors and their role as permanent cultural bridges between generations.
These two tais kaben (wedding tais) were woven over 80 years ago, the tais nunukala for the bride (Bui Mah) and the Tais Naeleki for the groom (Watu Lae). They symbolise their union and the socio-cultural traditions upheld through marriage which strengthen the bonds of kinship and foster unity.
These tais were lent to ETWA by Balbina da Conceição. Born in the 1960s, Balbina is a war widow and highly decorated for her contribution to the resistance. This accentuates their symbolic link to Timor-Leste’s journey of resistance and independence.