Babulo (Babolu) is a settlement in Timor-Leste and a suco (or village) in the Uato-Lari Administrative Post, Viqueque Municipality. The suco is one of the ethnic centers of the Naueti, and is also inhabited by the Makasae, an ethnic minority in the region. The different groups and clans are tightly connected through an ancient social structure which still has impact on their society today.
Geography
Babulo is situated on the eastern side of the administrative post of Uato-Lari. Babulo borders on the Afaloicai territory to the north, Vessor to the east and the Timor Sea to the south; to the west and northwest, the rivers Bebui and Roliu separate it from the neighbouring sucos of Uaitame, Afaloicai and Matahoi. The Metauai river, which forms the border between the sucos to the northeast, flows into the Timor Sea through Vessoru as the Oiqui. The Borouai, witch has its source in Babulo, flows further south and forms an estuary at the river border with Vessoru in the east.Ministerium für Staatsverwaltung und Territorialmanagement: Karte Uato-Laris , Retrieved 25 January 2017.
Before the reforms in 2015, Babulo had a total surface area of 79.71 km2.Direcção Nacional de Estatística: Population Distribution by Administrative Areas Volume 2 English (Census 2010; PDF; 22,6 MB) Currently it measures 70.52 km2.Direcção-Geral de Estatística: Census 2015, retrieved 23 November 2016. Areas located north of Uai Cai were handed over to the Afalpicai suco, and the border in the north was shifted from the eastern suco of Vessoru further east to the river Metauai. A river island in the Bebui was given to Afaloicai and the whole delta region of Uaitame was given to Babulo.
The community of Babulo is located in the southwest of the suco, at 578 m above sea level. Babulo and the town of Afaloicai (Aflocai) form a single settlement. They have a primary school, Escola Primaria No. 7 Afalocai,List of the polling stations of the Parliamentary Elections in Eastern Timor in 2007 (PDF; 118 kB) and a medical station.UNMIT: Timor-Leste District Atlas version02, August 2008 (PDF; 509 kB)
The southern coastal road is one of the most important roads in East Timor, crossing the Bebui in the village of Borolalo (Burlalu). From here, the road hugs the coast until it leaves the suco, now crossing the Borouai and sweeping to the east. The villages of Daralari (Daralare), Aliambata and Kampung Baru lie on the south-west section of the road, Cucodere in the south-east, Uato-Lari (Uato-Lari Leten, "Ober"-Uato-Lari) in the centre, and Uai Cai in the north. The mountain Didimera can be found to the north of Aliambata, in the eastern area of the suco. Here there is a cave looking out over the sea, wherr there is an altar with a statue of Jesus and other Christian saints. The southern coastal road passes through the suco 2 kilometres from Didimera. Along the road, near the village of Aliambata, are a feature known as the "eternal flames", which are fed by natural gas escaping from deep underground rock formations.
The mountain Babulo (670m) lies to the south of the village which shares its name. Baha Liurai, the suco's holy mountain, lies to the north-east of the village of Babulo. The settlement of Uatosoba can be found on its western slopes, where the Suco's primary holy house is situated. This area is part of aldeia Daralari. The settlement of Aha B Uu lies to the north-east of the Baha Liurai, Borulaisoba to the east, and the animistic burial ground of Nahasaka to the south-east.
The eight aldeias ("communities") are Abadere, Aha B Uu (Ahabu′u, Aha Bu′u), Asa Muta (Asamuta), Beli, Cota Nisi (Kotanisi, manchmal Kaidu),Barnes, S. 31. Daralari (Darlari), Lia Sidi (Liasidi) und Roma. (portugiesisch; PDF; 323 kB)
Inhabitants and culture Overview
Anthropologist Susana Barnes studied the culture and traditions of the residents of Babulo for several years, keeping a record of the interaction between the different clans and their respective ceremonial duties. The following account is based primarily on her paper Origins, Precedence and Social Order in the Domain of Ina Ama Beli Darlari, published in 2011.
As of 2015, the suco of Babulo has a population of 2,187, 1,113 of whom are men and 1,074 women. The population density is 31 residents per km2. There are 455 private homes in the entire suco. Nearly 97% of all residents claim Naueti to be their native language. Just under 2% speak Makasae, a few Tetum Prasa, Tetum Terik, Makalero, Fataluku and Waimaha.Ergebnisse des Zensus 2015 für den Suco Babulo (tetum; PDF) The Makasae-speaking section of the population stood at 24% before the local government reform. The literacy rate among people aged 15 to 24 is 88.32 per cent, outranking the national average as well as the average of the community of Viqueque. Expanding the age bracket to encompass all people aged 15 and over results in a significantly lower rate, with only 57.2 per cent able to read and write, which is still higher than that of the community of Viqueque (55.9 per cent). 40.83 per cent of the population is under the age of 15 (national average: 39.09 per cent), whereas 15.09 per cent are 60 or over (8.19 per cent).
The origin of the aldeias' unification into the Babulo suco is unknown. The aldeias are still formed by clans, whose members are closely related to each other. Neither immigration during the later period of colonialization nor the transmigration of Indonesians has destroyed this social structure. The center of each aldeia is a house of worship (Uma Luli), which used to be located at the center of the baha. Babulo's inhabitants lived in these highland settlements before the Indonesian invasion in 1975. The inhabitants were traditionally men who were related to each other through the paternal line, along with their wives and children.
The clans are in turn divided into lineages and sub-lineages (Uma kain), each having its own cult house. The relationship between the individual members of the lineages is described as "older" (kaka) or "younger" (wari). The "older" houses are closer to the ancestors, and thus rank higher than the "younger" houses. Each cult house served a purpose within the rituals and social establishment of the clan.
The oldest man of the "oldest" house of every line of descent is called the Na'i (Tetum for „Master“) or Bu Dato (Grandfather-Lord). They are considered direct descendants of their ancestors. The "oldest" houses of the clans traditionally come from the Aldeia chieftains, who are usually sons or nephews of one of the elders. Marriages, alliances and relationships connect the Aldeia line of ancestry to the foremost house. Marriages are supposed to take place beyond their own line of ancestry to form close relationships between the "giver of the bride" (uma ana) and the "taker of the bride" (oa sae). However, people are married within the same line of descent or with other close relatives, although this is disapproved of. Furthermore, the Naueti society is divided into Liurai (aristocrats, where the most powerful ruler is also called the Liurai), Reinu, or Ata (slaves). The Ata are descendants of former slaves and prisoners of war. Traditionally, marriages between the three classes are forbidden.
Resettlements during the Indonesian occupation has resulted in half of the population having their ancestral roots in the neighbouring suco of Afaloicai. They form their own aldeias and do not consider themselves subordinate to the old and traditional Liurai. They are still tied to their native land through their culture, but draw a distinction between their current and their former home. Afaloicai and Babulo have a long and common history of social relations, such as marriages for the sake of political alliances. Nonetheless, the inhabitants of Afaloicai are still oftentimes considered immigrants with less claim to the land and other natural resources.
Many traditional leaders have complained that numerous inhabitants of the suco, even some members of the foremost clans, are neglecting old rituals previously followed to ensure the fertility of the soil. Additionally, only a small number of people remain who are aware of the history of the suco and their ancestors' incantations. Immigrants, on the other hand, bring their own venerated traditions and ancestors. The elders of Babulo describe this situation as "chaotic", which has resulted in many problems and anxieties since the withdrawal of the Portuguese.
Traditional Faith
The majority of the inhabitants of Babulo officially follow the Catholic religion, as is the case in the rest of East Timor. In the whole commune of Viqueque, only 52 inhabitants professed to following the traditional faith of Timor, a form of animism worshipping natural spirits and ancestors.
Nevertheless, the traditional religion still has a deep impact, although it is emphasised that even before the arrival of the Catholic missionaries, there had never been a worship of "rock and tree" (uato no kai) but of the God of Creation Wula′ Lara (known also as Ulu Lara). In the faith of Timor, this god created the world and placed chosen people on Earth in order to control (ei) and tame (masi) the land. A long time before these Chosen Ones arrived, people lived without rules and regulations (). From the time the Chosen Ones took over control of the land, behavioural norms and practices for a social and moral order were established. The descendants of the Chosen Ones, the Clan of the Daralari, have the duty to uphold this order by the continuation of the holy (luli) norms and practices. They influence the interplay of the clans and houses and define the rituals and social life.Barnes, S. 38.
The rules that are associated with the founding fathers are the most holy. Within the occupation of the land they were responsible for the naming of the hills, rocks, rivers, springs, forests and fields, and began to use nature and its resources. This created the basis of the relationship with the bu′u, the original owners of the land or so-called guardians, who occupied Earth. The belief in the invisible earth that is occupied by the bu′u in various forms is still widespread today. The most powerful amongst those in the faith are the independent and untamed "owners" (of the land and the natural resources), who can assume the shape of a human or an animal. They rule over processes of nature and are able to influence the relationships between the people and the land. If people do not respect the luli order and prohibitions, negative consequences, for example, illnesses and even death might result in the imaginations of many inhabitants. To avoid this, one needs the help of the eldest to appease the bu′u. In order to please the bu′u and to gain access to the natural resources, the inhabitants of Babulo "follow in the footprints" of the ancestors with special rituals, incantations and sacrifices. The spirits of the ancestors have also become part of nature. Places where they are believed to assemble are considered sacred. The deeds of some of the ancestors are recounted in local legends. They were partly connected with great sacrifices, and even death. Some of these deeds include the first harvest, the protection of the borders and the preservation of the land from natural disasters.Barnes, S. 39. The relationship between the living and the ancestors is reciprocal. There are rituals involving the whole community and the individual clans throughout the year that include incantations and sacrifices to the ancestors.Barnes, S. 39 & 40.