The Dead as Ancestors, Martyrs, and Heroes in Timor-Leste
Author | : Rui Feijo |
Publisher | : Amsterdam University Press |
Total Pages | : 342 |
Release | : 2020-09-29 |
ISBN-10 | : 9789048544448 |
ISBN-13 | : 9048544440 |
Rating | : 4/5 (48 Downloads) |
Download or read book The Dead as Ancestors, Martyrs, and Heroes in Timor-Leste written by Rui Feijo and published by Amsterdam University Press. This book was released on 2020-09-29 with total page 342 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the 24-year Indonesian occupation of Timor-Leste, thousands of people died or were killed in circumstances that did not allow the required death rituals to be performed at the time. Since the country attained independence in 1999, families have consequently devoted significant time, effort and resources to fulfilling their obligations to the dead. These obligations are accorded particular significance due to the fact that the dead are ascribed agency and can play a benevolent or malevolent role in the lives of the living. Such grassroots initiatives run in parallel with, and reveal a range of different attitudes towards, official initiatives that seek to transform particular dead bodies into public symbols of heroism, sacrifice and nationhood. This book focuses on the dynamic interplay between the potent presence of the dead in everyday life and their symbolic usefulness in wider processes of state and nation formation.