E. Timor pavillion, a tourist favorite
\nculture'<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
East Timor, which will be granted full independence as a new
\ncountry on Monday, still is represented by a pavilion in the
\ncultural park, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) or Beautiful
\nIndonesia Miniature Park.<\/p>\n
It could well become an historical symbol memorializing
\nIndonesia's 24-year hold on the territory, as well as a place
\nwhere some of East Timor's rarest cultural artifacts are
\npreserved.<\/p>\n
Additionally, it will highlight the cultural relations between
\nthe two nations, as the pavilion has a number of cultural
\nartifacts, which are apparently difficult to find even in East
\nTimor. They include musical instruments, traditional weaponry,
\nfine arts, and traditional cloths.<\/p>\n
\"What you see here is evidence of the East Timor-Indonesian
\ncultural integration. Those items are very rare in East Timor
\nafter the social upheaval and referendum in East Timor in 1999,\"
\nLito Barros, a TMII official at the pavilion, told The Jakarta
\nPost on Friday.<\/p>\n
Lito, 53, an East Timorese man who chose to become an
\nIndonesian citizen, said that he and other East Timorese living
\nhere were happy to see the pavilion maintained in the park.<\/p>\n
Since it was established in 1980, it had often been used by
\nthe East Timorese community in Indonesia as a venue for social
\ngatherings. But since 1999 there have been no such gatherings.<\/p>\n
Like other pavilions at TMII before 1999, the East Timor
\npavilion was run by East Timor's provincial administration. But
\nafter the 1999 ballot, which led to the independence of the
\nterritory, the pavilion was taken over by the park's management.<\/p>\n
According to Lito, the East Timor pavilion is a favorite of
\noverseas guests. He said that nearly half of 4,000 monthly
\nvisitors to the pavilion were from other countries.<\/p>\n
From the messages written on the guest books, they expressed
\nthe hope that the Indonesian government would maintain it.<\/p>\n
One of the messages, which came from Armandina Gusmao, a
\nsister of President-elect Xanana Gusmao who visited in November
\nlast year, read, \"Please preserve these goods well as such things
\nare difficult to be found there (in East Timor).\"<\/p>\n
A similar message, according to the staff, came from M.P.
\nNuman, a journalist from Canada, who said he was delighted to see
\nthat the Indonesian people had such great respect for East
\nTimorese history and hoped the cultural exhibition would remain
\nopen.<\/p>\n
Masud Toyip, the TMII manager for art, culture and tourist
\naffairs, said the management would use the pavilion as a museum,
\nwhich would be very useful for the young generation to know the
\nhistory of the two countries.<\/p>\n
Lito said the pavilion in the future would be used by the East
\nTimorese, both those who are in Indonesia and visitors from East
\nTimor, to learn about their culture.<\/p>\n
\"As stated by Ms. Armandina that such items are scarce in East
\nTimor. It is very possible that in the future, they would come
\nhere if they want to learn about East Timor culture,\" said Lito.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/e-timor-pavillion-a-tourist-favorite-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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