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 EAST TIMOR’S
INDEPENDENCE,
INDONESIA
AND ASEAN

Jean A. Berlie
East Timor’s Independence, Indonesia and ASEAN
 Jean A. Berlie
Editor

East Timor’s
Independence,
Indonesia and ASEAN
Editor
Jean A. Berlie
The Education University
of Hong Kong
Tai Po, Hong Kong

ISBN 978-3-319-62629-1 ISBN 978-3-319-62630-7 (eBook)

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62630-7

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To Francisco Fernandes
 Preface

This book explains how history, tradition, and human factors have
shaped modern Timorese politics. Portuguese colonization, 24 years
of Indonesian neo-colonialism, just over 2 years under United Nations
stewardship, and 15 years of “electoral democracy’’ have forged the
political uniqueness of the new country. Formally independent on May
20, 2002, the “Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste” is sometimes for-
gotten, but the world wants to know what happened between 2006 and
2015. East Timor is the most robust democracy in Southeast Asia, so
every 5 years its elections capture the attention of the global media.
Without the United Nations, Kofi Annan, Max Stahl’s film shot
in Dili in November 1991 and many actors, East Timor would prob-
ably not exist as an independent Democratic Republic. The country
needs more development and reflection on policies. Off-shore oil and
gas are the unique important sources of wealth that will last some 20
years. Mari Alkatiri, Secretary General of the Revolutionary Front for an
Independent East Timor (Fretilin), East Timor’s party for independence
established at the beginning in 1974, won the Constituent Assembly
elections which took place on August 2001 conducted under United
Nation’s auspices. Alkatiri became the first Prime Minister of the inde-
pendent country on May 20, 2002. The political events in 2006–2008
and 2015 are compared.
Chapter 1 details the local politics, culture, and great variety of lan-
guages in East Timor, Portuguese colonization and Timorese traditions.

vii
viii Preface

The essential role of Australia and the United Nations, in particular the
United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET)
is written with an attempt not to repeat what is already known about the
pre-independence period of the newest country of the twentieth century.
Fretilin’s continuous positive promotion of independence, the emer-
gence of political parties, the remarkable redaction of the Constitution
under the leadership of Lu-Olo, the President of the Constituent
Assembly, and the implementation of democracy are detailed. Chapter
2 tries to point out solutions to avoid crises. The present Sixth
Government of East Timor is a new scenario, established after the resig-
nation of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão in 2015. The bi-party politi-
cal system under the leadership of the Prime Minister of the opposition
seems to work. The Fretilin member, Rui Maria de Araújo, ex-Minister
of Health, became Prime Minister in February 2015.
Chapter 3 is a sympathetic political view of Timor from Australia;
it shows a good knowledge of the character of Timorese politicians as
seen from inside their party. Peter Murphy presents a modern political
view of the Australian-East Timor relationship. Through the 24 years of
resistance to Indonesian occupation in East Timor between 1975 and
1999, Australians of very diverse political views maintained sympathy for
the Timorese as opposed to the official Australian government complic-
ity, especially in seeking to divide-up Timor’s petroleum resources with
the Jakarta government. They ranged from Communist Party activists,
trade unionists, World War II commando veterans, Catholics, mem-
bers of the Australian Labor and Liberal parties, Aboriginal leaders, and
media workers contributed to develop the present excellent relationship
between Timor-Leste and Australia.
Given the security role that Australia took on in 1999 alongside the
first arriving United Nations peacekeepers, Australia’s leaders are duty
bound to respect the Timorese people, their nationalist and democratic
character forged by 500 years of colonialism, two decades of neo-coloni-
alism, resistance, and aspirations to establish their own flowering culture.
A fair resolution of the maritime border conflict between East Timor and
Australia is expected in 2017.
In the author’s view, promoting the candidacy of East Timor to
join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) consti-
tutes Indonesia’s moral obligation. Indonesia is the best supporter for
 Preface ix

East Timor candidacy to join ASEAN. In collaboration with my long-

term friend, Hans Hägerdal, Chap. 4 presents an original chronological
view on the sincere will of the East Timor Government to join ASEAN.
Singapore remains to be convinced. ASEAN is now a venerable interna-
tional association that China and the United States are seeking to seduce.
East Timor may join ASEAN in 2018 if its Government succeeds in con-
vincing each member state of ASEAN one by one. An earlier bid seems
questionable but, as stated by President José Ramos-Horta in an inter-
view with the author in Dili on April 20, 2017 it is expected in 2018. As
this book argues, joining ASEAN as a member state constitutes the best
option for Timor-Leste’s future. Agriculture, education, and tourism are
key sectors to develop in showing that the country is progressing and
ready to be the eleventh ASEAN member state.
The last chapter is a unique study which compares the two main par-
ties. The present Sixth Constitutional Government is a mixed govern-
ment of the two main parties, Fretilin and the National Congress for
the Reconstruction of Timor (CNRT), which kept the power until
the parliamentary elections on July 22, 2017. The President of the
Democratic Party (PD), Fernando Lasama, former Vice Prime Minister,
the unique political leader who was able to contest the existence of the
bi-party system, died in 2015. Fretilin is an offshoot of the Timorese
Social Democratic Association (ASDT), Fretilin’s predecessor, which
was founded in May 1974. Fretilin currently has the character of a social
democratic party rather than a Marxist one. The author’s field notes
would be valuable for scholars interested in Timorese elections.
The epilogue presents a story of the past and tries to look at the evo-
lution of Timorese politics, including a comment on colonialism and
postcolonialism before independence in 2002. The present appears to
be still quite challenging. On May 20, 2017 Lu-Olo became President
of Timor-Leste. The parliamentary elections were successfully organ-
ized on July 22, 2017. Fretilin and the CNRT will, sooner or later, try
to play their own cards, following the tough years between 2006 and
2015, the extraordinary post-2015 Timorese political truce needs to be
again on the agenda of East Timor’s new Government. The happy con-
clusion examines broader issues impacting Timor-Leste, including the
politics of modernization, the question of development, social and politi-
cal change, and their importance for the stability of the country. It ends
x Preface

with the wish to build a stronger relationship with ASEAN, in particular

Indonesia, to become the 11th member of the association after success-
fully organizing the ASEAN Regional Forum in Dili in April 2017.

Tai Po
Jean A. Berlie
Hong Kong
 Contents

1 A Socio-Historical Essay: Traditions, Indonesia,

Independence, and Elections 1
Jean A. Berlie

2 Independence: Political Events in 2006, 2008, and 2015 33

Jean A. Berlie

3 East Timor and Its Giant Southern Neighbor 61

Peter Murphy

4 Timor-Leste and ASEAN 91

Hans Hägerdal and Jean A. Berlie

5 Fretilin and CNRT: A Short Comparative Study

of the Two Main Political Parties of East Timor 113
Jean A. Berlie

xi
xii Contents

6 Epilogue: East Timor’s Political Development,

Indonesia and ASEAN 139
Jean A. Berlie

References
145

Index 149
 Editor and Contributors

About the Editor

Jean A. Berlie is a researcher at the Education University of Hong

Kong. His books include: East Timor Politics and Elections, Guangzhou:
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Jinan University (2007); East
Timor: A Bibliography, Paris: Indes Savantes (2001); and Macao 2000
(ed.), Hong Kong/New York: Oxford University Press (1999).

Contributors

Hans Hägerdal is Associate Professor in History at Linnaeus University,

Sweden. He is the author of Lords of the Land, Lords of the Sea: Conflict
and Adaptation in Early Colonial Timor, 1600–1800 (Leiden: KITLV
Press, 2012).

Peter Murphy is a former militant for East Timor and has published
articles on Timorese politics.

xiii
 Acronyms

ASDT Associação Social Democrata Timorense (Timorese Social

Democratic Association)
ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations
CAC Anti Corruption Commission
CMATS (Treaty on) Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea
CNRT National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (party)
CPLP Community of Portuguese Language Countries
Falintil Forças Armadas de Libertação Nacional de Timor Leste
(Armed Forces for the National Liberation of East Timor)
F-FDTL Falintil and later National Defence Force of Timor-Leste
Fretilin Frente Revolucionária de Timor Leste Independente
(Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor)
IDPs Internally Displaced Persons
MAP Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery
PD Partido Democrático (Democratic Party)
PI Public investment
Pide (PIDE) Polícia Internacional e da Defesa do Estado (International Police
for the Defence of the State)
PLP People’s Liberation Party
PNTL Polícia Nacional de Timor-Leste (National Police of Timor-Leste)
UDT União Democrática Timorense (Timorese Democratic Union)
UN United Nations
UNAMET United Nations Assistance Mission to East Timor
(June–November 1999)

xv
xvi Acronyms

Undertim União Nacional Democrática de Resistência Timorense,

the United Timorese National Democratic Resistance Party
UNMISET United Nations Mission in East Timor (May 2002–2005)
UNMIT United Nations Integrated Mission in East Timor
(8.25.2006–12.31.2012)
UNOTIL United Nations Office in East Timor (May 2005–2006)
UNTAET United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor
(1999–2002)
 List of Photos

Photo 1 At Dili old stadium, July 15, 2001, at the beginning of the victorious
electoral campaign of the Fretilin Party (author’s photo)

xvii
xviii List of Photos

Photo 2 On March 22, 2016, and one day later, thousands of Timorese people
rallied in front ofthe Australian embassy in Dili (photo Valentino Sousa)
 List of Photos xix

Photo 3 2010, Dili. General Taur Matan Ruak (elected President in 2012),
former Head of Timorese Police Longhuinos Monteiro (currently Minister of
Interior) and President José Ramos-Horta (author’s photo)

Photo 4 In 2012, last day of the first round of the electoral campaign of
Fretilin Party’s President Lu-Olo (author’s photo)
xx List of Photos

Photo 5 Dili, March 17, 2017. The last day of the political campaign of
Lu-Olo, President of Fretilin Party. He was elected President of Timor-Leste by
the people the following March 20. Supporters of two parties, Fretilin and the
CNRT, are together for the first time (author’s photo)

Photo 6 Events in June 2006: Fretilin Party members in the streets of Dili
(author’s photo)
 List of Photos xxi

Photo 7 Dili, Lecidere. CNRT, pro-Xanana Gusmão’s demonstration in 2007

(author’s photo)
xxii List of Photos

Photo 8 Dili, 2012. Youth Street Art “Peace for Development” (author’s
photo)
 List of Map and Diagram

1.1 Map of East Timor 2

5.1 The origins of CNRT 123

xxiii
 CHAPTER 1

A Socio-Historical Essay: Traditions,

Indonesia, Independence, and Elections

Jean A. Berlie

Abstract This chapter gives details on the Timorese culture and the great
variety of languages. It describes East Timor’s traditions and its colo-
nial history, the short civil war for independence in 1974–1975, and the
occupation by Indonesia. Without the Timorese themselves, the United
Nations, in particular, Kofi Annan, Max Stahl’s film shot in November
1991, in Dili, East Timor would not exist as an independent democratic
republic. The United Nations Transitional Administration (UNTAET)
was sovereign in East Timor between 2000 and 2002. This chapter gives
more information about the development of the Revolutionary Front for
an Independent East Timor (Fretilin) and a reflection on its policies.

Keywords Charismatic leaders · colonization · funu · history ·

independence · liurai · political parties · traditions · UNTAET

This chapter details the local politics, culture, and great variety of lan-
guages in East Timor. It is based on fieldwork using a participant anthro-
pological methodology, conducted over many years on Timor Island.

J.A. Berlie (*)

The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong

© The Author(s) 2018 1

J.A. Berlie (ed.), East Timor’s Independence, Indonesia and ASEAN,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62630-7_1
2 J.A. Berlie

I thank the Australian scholar Clinton Fernandes who advised me not to

say too much about what I observed on the fascinating island, but to write
an original essay in my own way, “and some people will understand.”1
This work describes East Timor’s traditions and its colonial history,
Indonesian period, between 1975 and 1999, the ballot on self-deter-
mination and the unique UN sovereignty between 2000 and 2002.
Questions regarding the East Timorese political system and the construc-
tion of a particular electoral democracy are also addressed.

Historical Overview

Geography and Languages

The beauty of Timor Island lies in its blue seashore and discontinuous
green central cordillera. This crocodile-shaped island is located at the far
eastern end of the Malay World, south-east of the deep Ombai Strait,
and includes East Timor and the Indonesian West Timor. For a view of
East Timor in the 1970s see Chrystello.2 East Timor, or Timor-Leste,
encompasses 19,000 square kilometres and a population of 1.3 million in
2016. Lying north of Darwin, Australia, East Timor is a part of Southeast
Asia and the South Pacific. It has an enclave called Oecussi, Oecusse or

Map 1.1 Map of East Timor

 1 A SOCIO-HISTORICAL ESSAY: TRADITIONS, INDONESIA, … 3

Ambeno (“oe” means “water” in Meto, the language of the local Atoni
people, see Map 1.1 above). Its main city is Pante Makassar (Macassar).
According to James Fox, East Timor is remarkably diverse “in its lin-
guistic and ethnic make-up.”3 East Timor, a country in Southeast Asia,
is also related to the Pacific Ocean and Austronesian cultures. However,
Portuguese colonization had a great impact on East Timor’s linguistic his-
tory. Around 40% of the Tetum-Praça words used in Dili, the capital, are
Portuguese, but the grammar of the national language is Central Malayo-
Polynesian. Local newspapers are printed in Tetum and Portuguese. Both
are official languages, but Portuguese remains the major language of the
Republic. The Constitution was first drafted in Portuguese. The colonial
period, which promoted the usage of Tetum, in particular in Dili, also
pushed the more literary Portuguese language. The issue of language
remains problematic in 2017. The cultural and political Timorese elites
are educated in Portuguese, and there is a great cultural gap between
them and the youth who have been educated in the Indonesian language
(Bahasa Indonesia) for 24 years.4 Tetum has the advantage of being the
liturgical medium of the East Timorese Catholic Church. Unfortunately,
the Bible has not yet been properly translated into Tetum, although more
than 90 percent of the East Timorese are Catholic. Nevertheless, Pieter
Middelkoop (1895–1973) had translated the Bible into Meto, which is
still used among the Atoni of East Timor, Kupang, and Kefamenanu,
West Timor, and Indonesia.5 Although Portuguese is the main language
of the Timorese laws, the English language deserves a better considera-
tion in the Constitution of East Timor. Australia is a close neighbor and
its education system could be very useful for East Timor, but there are
few competent English teachers in East Timor. The official languages are
Tetum and Portuguese. The country’s Constitution states that Indonesian
and English remain working languages.
Timor has 14 different Austronesian languages and many of them are
mutually unintelligible.6 They were all part of the local culture of former
chiefdoms. To understand the complex customary system of the island, it is
necessary to briefly classify the languages of Timor.7 These 14 languages are
spoken in different Timorese districts as follows: Tetum is spoken in Dili,
Batugade, Suai, and Viqueque; Adabe in Atauro Island; Mambai is used
in Samé, Aileu, and Ainaro; Fataluco is spoken by the Dagada people in
Lautem and Los Palos; Meto or Vaikenu dominates in Oecussi; Tokodede
is spoken in Liquiçá and Maubara; Makasai in Baucau and Baguia8; Galole
in Manatuto; Bunak in Bobonaro; Kemak or Emak in Kailaku; Idate in
4 J.A. Berlie

Laclubar; Lakalei in Samé; Kairui and Midiki in Lacluta and Viqueque;

Nauete and Naumik in Uato Lari. In 2000, instead of using Indonesian
interpreters, the UNTAET used Tetum interpreters, meaning they were
sometimes unable to communicate with Timorese people in some districts.
For example, they were unable to communicate with Fataluco speakers
in the eastern district of Los Palos. Between 2000 and 2002, it was not
politically correct to use Bahasa Indonesia, despite it being commonly spo-
ken after 24 years of Indonesia rule. However, in Oecussi the local peo-
ple, Atoni, speak Meto or Vaikenu; Tetum was often not favored, except
for the elite who’d been educated in Dili or later for those who had a job
in the capital. The family of the traditional chief, liurai João Hermenegildo
da Costa in Oecussi, avoided using the Indonesian language. This par-
ticular liurai—fluent in Meto and educated in Portuguese—always pre-
ferred to use an Indonesian interpreter knowing also Portuguese or Meto.
Compared to the first decade of the 2000s, the enclave is recently more
“Indonesian-influenced”, partly because of its geographical proximity to
Indonesia. In 2017, Meto, Tetum, and Indonesian are the most spoken
languages; without Indonesian workers and machines, it was not possible
to finish the roundabouts and roads in Pante Makassar for the ceremony of
the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the Portuguese.
The Portuguese language too cannot be forgotten. It is useful to note
the publications of the administrator Correia and his knowledge of the
Makasai culture in Baucau.9 Portuguese colonialism has been criticized
for the years 1974–1975. 500 years of Portuguese presence in the coun-
try have to be seriously considered, as these have had a profound impact
on modern East Timor. In Oecussi, in November 2015, the 500 year
anniversary of the arrival of the Portuguese was a reminder of the impor-
tance of Timor’s Portuguese heritage.

Portuguese Colonization
First Indian, then Arab and Chinese traders bought sandalwood origi-
nating from Timor around the year 1000 A.D. The era of Portuguese
colonialism begins in 1515. Initially, Portuguese trading was centred in
Lifau, on the coast of Oecussi, and over several centuries Portuguese
Timor became economically linked to Goa and Portugal. Sandalwood,
and later coffee, were the main Timorese colonial exports, but these nat-
ural resources were never as valuable as the silk trade of Macao. As trade
grew, and the harbor on the Pearl River Delta expanded, Timor was, for
 1 A SOCIO-HISTORICAL ESSAY: TRADITIONS, INDONESIA, … 5

a short period of time, brought under the jurisdiction of the Portuguese

governor of Macao. The key administrative turning point was in 1769,
when the Portuguese established a real capital and a local colonial gov-
ernor in Dili. Exactly a century later, Alfred R. Wallace in The Malay
Archipelago, gave a relatively dismal image of the capital.
As a colony, Timor was located at the extreme end of the Portuguese
Empire. The Governor of Macao and Timor (1879–1883), Joaquim
José da Graça, rightly wrote in 1882 that “the number of military cad-
res” (oficiais do quadro) was insufficient to govern the colony.10 Governor
Eduardo Augusto Marques, after his arrival in Timor in 1908, issued a sig-
nificant note, numbered 177 in the Boletim Official, and many reports of
Portuguese officers followed, using the concept of “indigenous customary
law.” This often meant “local justice”, but to cool down reports, the note
“no crime” often appeared. Indigenous problems were nevertheless often
solved according to traditional rules. During this period of slow transfor-
mation for the colony, Governor Marques explained that the Timorese
needed a more direct system of colonization, noting with bias reflecting
his favorable views of colonialism that the Timorese could not benefit
from an overly expansive definition of rights. Nonetheless the Timorese,
like all peoples, need laws, including their own local customary laws.11
The Portuguese, in their Indo-Melanesian colony, constituted a
very small number of administrators and military men. Some of them
held Timorese culture in low esteem, but others such as Armando
Pinto Correia, Administrator of Baucau for many years, deeply under-
stood its significance. For security reasons and the good management
of the indirect colonial system, some took on the praxis of customary
laws adat without studying it in detail.12 Given the circumstances, it
is actually remarkable that the Portuguese succeeded in remaining in
Timor for so long, given such a consistently small Portuguese mili-
tary contingent, and particularly considering the maritime and trading
power of the Dutch based in Kupang. Colonial Portuguese Timor was
composed of local Timorese, Portuguese, Mestiços, Topas interpreters
also called Topasses or “Black Portuguese”,13 Macanese, Indians from
Goa, a few Europeans, Muslims, the dominant group being Hadhramaut,
and Africans. Timor today continues to be a melting pot of different eth-
nicities and languages. The Timorese Chinese, mainly Hakkas (Kejia),
originally from Eastern Guangdong, are totally assimilated and often
polyglots.14 In 1970, Timorese Chinese were 6,000 but at pre-
sent are less numerous, and Mainland Chinese are in greater number
6 J.A. Berlie

in Dili. Contrary to the local Chinese Timorese, among the numer-

ous Mainlanders in the country, few of them are fluent in Tetum and
I met very few Portuguese speakers among them outside the Chinese
Embassy. In 1908, the country was divided into sucos. There were,
for example, 18 sucos in the Oecussi enclave, ten in Baucau and six
on Atauro Island. To limit the power of a chief, the colonizers some-
times tried to redefine the area of his suco. For example, in Baucau on
October 21, 1909, the Portuguese administrator increased the territory
of a loyal chief of Keli-Kai (Quelicai), a major of the second line, Carlos
Ximenes da Costa. The result was that the suco of Bercoli lost two vil-
lages: Uai-Tame and Tati-Are. During the Timorese civil war, the last
governor Mário Lemos Pires (1930–2009) left Dili to Atauro Island
to protect himself. He overestimated the military capability of the
Timorese resistance (ASDT-Fretilin). The captain of the boat respon-
sible for this maritime journey was Federico Almeida Santos da Costa,
former President of Association Pro-Democratic Timorese-Indonesian
(Apodeti), later called “Pro-Independence.” Colonel Pires refused to
go to Baucau, Villa Salazar, the second city, where he had an airstrip
which could be protected, as did UNTAET between 1999 and 2002.
In an interview by the author early April 2017, this question of the
importance of Baucau Airport was not criticized by the Ambassador of
Portugal, Manuel Gonçalves de Jesus, who mentioned that he rejected
the idea of commemorating the memory and presence of Lemos Pires
in Atauro in 1975. This part of Portuguese history is rarely commented
on. Between the years 2000 and 2015, I had many interviews with
Federico Almeida da Costa in Dili, and elsewhere with two officers who
spent years in Africa and Lisbon under the command of Pires, during
the difficult periods of decolonization and armed conflict.

Indonesian Occupation and Laws

On December 7, 1975, the Indonesian Army (TNI) invaded Portuguese
Timor. East Timor was renamed the 27th Indonesian province in 1976.
In 1999, following the successful referendum for independence, after 24
years of Indonesian occupation and administration, strong Indonesian
cultural and linguistic influences remained. The UNTAET also influenced
the constitutional nature of the new independent state, the Democratic
Republic of Timor-Leste. Independence was finally declared in 2002.
 1 A SOCIO-HISTORICAL ESSAY: TRADITIONS, INDONESIA, … 7

For an independent democratic republic, laws are necessary. As

we know, the laws of East Timor are written in Portuguese. The
Constitution of East Timor was written first in Portuguese and translated
afterward into English and Tetum. The Latin spirit of these laws derives
mainly from the Portuguese legal culture. The laws were also shaped by
the administrative period of the United Nations. Defined laws are essen-
tial, but without speaking of either Portuguese or past Indonesian laws,
the East Timorese also have their own customary “laws.” On August 7,
2000, in Dili, Mari Alkatiri, at that time a member of the central com-
mittee of the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT),
and the first Prime Minister of Timor-Leste after independence asked the
question: “How to adjust international laws to East Timor?” This ques-
tion remains pertinent in a country where customary laws still play a sig-
nificant role.

Timorese Culture and Traditions

Culture and traditions are very important in the Island of Timor. This
section concerns the customary laws as well as the charisma of Timorese
leaders. It deals with an important concept lulik meaning “sacred” and
all the related symbols still present outside the capital and even in Dili.

Timorese Customary Culture

It is not so easy to find ethnological information on Timorese culture
in East Timor. The Dili archives were destroyed at least four times—
in 1779, 1890, 1975, and 1999.15 So, I did research in Lisbon in the
National Archives, the Historical Overseas Archives, and the Navy
Archives. Pioneering work by Portuguese scholars, Luiz Gonçalves, and
Jacinto José do Nascimento Moura, paved the way to define the different
forms of Timorese laws.16
The traditional Tobé of the Atoni dominant ethnic group—Meto
speakers—of the Oecussi enclave, formerly had a lot of economic
power allowing them to solve land disputes, as they sometimes still do.
The Tobé was the only village leader who knew all the land and natu-
ral resources. Traditionally, it was also believed that those who illegally
cut sandalwood trees will not have a peaceful life. In the nineteenth cen-
tury, sandalwood was still important, and as coffee became an important
export large plantations became significantly developed at the end of that
8 J.A. Berlie

century. In Oecussi district, the Tobé was formerly the leader able to give
the authorization to cut down sandalwood trees (Santalum album L.).
When necessary, the Timorese continue to use divination. On August
7, 2001, an Atoni divination ceremony was carried out to determine
whether the Timorese Democratic Union (UDT) candidate Arnaldo
Sombico of Oecussi would be an elected deputy. On that day, in Pante
Makassar at Padi Ai, at around ten in the morning, I attended this divi-
nation ceremony. A cock was sacrificed; its price was US$5. The ques-
tion was what would be the result of the elections for the UDT party in
Oecussi. Two masters (in Meto, ahinet means “one who knows”) offici-
ated. The ceremony of this animistic rite was divided as follows:
At 10.10 am, a promessa (promise) was made to the ancestors, and in
particular to the ancestor João Hermenegildo da Costa, the late father
of Inacio da Costa. São António, the holy patron of Oecussi, is often
invoked, but here the main Christian-animist “ancestor” invoked was the
late liurai. Later at 10.20 am, the cock (mano in Meto and Tetum) was
killed. Before the sacrifice, the cock was raised toward the sky. A man-
tra was recited by the ahinet to the ancestors. The throat of the cock
was then cut over a plate covered by a thin layer of water. The blood
remained in the vessel.
The inspection of the cock’s bowels constitutes a central part of the
divination ritual. If there is a discovery of a white appendix in the bow-
els, called paku inpanan muti (“appendix-erected white”) it is encourag-
ing. On that day, it was not the case. The consumption of the sacrificed
fowl is supposed to eliminate evil spirits. The flesh of the sacrificed cock
was grilled. At 10.50 am the assistants consumed a lunch comprising
various grilled parts of the cock, but not the feet or the liver. Rice was
cooked in palm leaves, called tuas in Meto or katupa in Tetum. Coffee
was served at the end.
Makasai divination, in and around Baucau, is sometimes different
from the Atoni style of divination in Oecussi. Makasai prefer to inspect
the hearts of chickens, pigs, goats, bulls, and buffaloes to divine the
future. It seems that in general, in East Timor, the liver (aten in Meto
and Tetum) is the key organ for divination. However, for the Atoni, the
gallbladder (enuf in Meto) is essential. When this organ is full and long,
the results of the divination are considered favorable. If the gallbladder
is half full, the outcome will be unfavorable. If the gallbladder (mamiik
in Tetum) does not exist or is very small, the final outcome will also be
negative. That day in Oecussi, the gallbladder was very small. The chance
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or wall, and the ribbon passed over it, or through a ring, as shown.
This plan is especially adapted for show windows where the curtain
string would otherwise mar the appearance and be hard to get at.—
Contributed by L. E. Turner, New York, N. Y.
 The Mystic Climbing Ring

The performer hands out a wand for examination and borrows a

finger ring. He holds the wand in his hand, point upward, and drops
the ring on it, then makes mesmeric passes over the wand with the
other, and causes the ring to climb toward the top, stop at any place
desired, pass backward, and at last fall from the wand. The wand
and ring are examined again by the audience.
 To produce this little trick, the performer must first provide himself
with a round, black stick, about 14 in. long, a piece of No. 60 black
cotton thread about 18 in. long, and a small bit of beeswax. Tie one
end of the thread to the top button on the coat and to the free end
stick the beeswax, which is stuck to the lower button until ready for
the trick.
After the wand is returned, secretly stick the waxed end to the top
of the wand, then drop the ring on it. Moving the wand slightly from
oneself will cause the ring to move upward, and relaxing it causes
the ring to fall. In the final stage remove the thread and hand out the
wand for examination.
 Skis and Ski Running
By Stillman Taylor.

PART I—Prominent Types of

Modern Skis

T he requirements of the modern ski call for a hard, flexible, and

tough material, and while hickory, white ash, white maple, birch,
yellow pine, white pine, and spruce are all used, the experienced ski
runner considers hickory and ash to combine in the fullest measure
the qualities most desired. Of course, every wood has its limitations
as well as merits. Hickory is elastic and fairly tough, but heavy. Ash
resembles hickory so far as elasticity is concerned, and its weight is
about the same, but the wood contains soft layers. Birch possesses
the requisite lightness, but is far too brittle to prove serviceable, and
pine is open to the same objection. Maple makes an excellent ski,
which can be finished very smooth so as to slide more easily than
the other woods, but it is much less flexible than either hickory or
ash.

The Telemark-Model Ski

This form of ski, so called from the Telemarken province of

Norway, where the art of ski running has reached a high order of
skill, is probably the choice of the sportsmen wherever the
exhilarating sport of ski running is practiced, and the larger portion of
the members of the numerous skiing clubs use the Telemark-model
ski. This type is practically identical with the most popular model so
long used in Telemarken, and the rule for its selection is to choose a
pair whose length reaches the middle joint of the fingers when the
arm is stretched above the head. There are various makers of this
type of ski, and while the modeling will be found to differ but little,
there are numerous brands sold which are fashioned of cheap and
flimsy material, and consequently unsatisfactory in every respect.
The Telemark model is shown in Fig. 1, and from this sketch it will
be seen that the wood has two curves or bends, one running its
entire length to form a graceful arch, and the second, at the toe. The
first one is technically known as the “arch,” and the other curve the
“bend,” while the front or toe end of the ski is called the “point,” and
the rear end the “heel.” In almost all skis the under, or running,
surface is provided with a hollow, known as the “groove,” which runs
from the heel to the bend. It will be noticed in the drawing that the
sides also are gently curved, thus making the ski a trifle broader at
the ends than in the center. This curve affords a somewhat greater
bend at the heel, and while some experts approve, others
disapprove of it, but most ski runners agree that the curve should not
be pronounced, or it will prove a handicap and make it difficult for the
runner to secure a firm grip at the edge when ascending steep
slopes covered with hard snow.
The “arch” of the ski is necessary to avoid bending when the
weight of the body is on the runner, and the total height of this
important curve should not exceed ³⁄₄ in., for a too exaggerated arch
will practically form a concave running surface and retard the speed,
since it will run on two edges, or points, instead of on the entire
running surface. A slight arch may be reckoned necessary to offset
the weight of the body, but the utility of the ski, in nearly every
instance, will be less affected by too little arch than by too great a
curve at this point.
A good ski is told at a glance by its bend, which must never be
abruptly formed, nor carried too high. A maximum curve of 6 in. is all
that is ever required, and to prevent breaking at this, the weakest,
part of the ski, the bend must be gradual like the curve of a good
bow, thus making it more flexible and elastic at this point. As a rule,
the ski should be fashioned a trifle broader at the bend than at any
other point, and the wood should be pared moderately thin, which
will make it strong and resilient with plenty of spring, or “backbone.”
The groove in the running surface is so formed as to make the ski
steady and prevent “side slip” when running straightaway. In fact this
groove may be compared to the keel of a boat, and as the latter may
be made too deep, making it difficult to steer the craft and interfering
with the turning, so will the badly formed groove interfere with the
control of the ski. The Telemark round-faced groove is by far the best
form, and for all-around use is commonly made ¹⁄₁₂ or ¹⁄₈ in. deep.
Not all Telemark skis are thus fashioned, however, some being made
without the groove, while others are provided with two, and I have
seen one marked with three parallel hollows. The shallow groove is
the most satisfactory for general use, and while a groove, ³⁄₈ or ¹⁄₂ in.
deep, is good enough for straightaway running, it makes turning
more difficult.
To attach the ski binding, which secures the shoe to the runner, a
hole in the form of a narrow slit is made just back of the center. This
is the usual manner of attaching the foot binding, and while it cannot
but weaken the ski to a certain extent, it is the best method for
making a secure foot fastening, and weakens the wood to a much
less extent than the use of bolts, or other metal fastening.
So far as finish is concerned, most Norwegian makers finish their
skis with a coat of black paint, while other makers stain the wood,
and some finish the wood in the natural color by varnishing. This
applies to the upper surface only, the running surface being rubbed
down with linseed oil and made smooth with wax.

The Swedish Ski

This type of ski is made quite long and comparatively narrow, with
a deep groove, and is well adapted for running on the level or for
gliding down slight slopes. This type of ski is commonly used in
Lapland and to a less extent in the northern parts of Norway, but the
great length and quick, short bend make this model less adapted for
ordinary use, since the deep, rectangular groove slows down the
speed, and the great length makes turning doubly difficult. For
special conditions this type is probably useful, but it can scarcely be
considered suited to the average use.

Lilienfeld Ski

This type of ski is favored by but comparatively few ski runners,

and the modeling is inferior to the Telemark ski. The arch is
excessive in height, the bend is abrupt and stiff, while the round
point, fashioned to prevent sticking in loose brush, has apparently
little value in actual use. The Lilienfeld ski is made without a groove,
and since the whole model is shorter and broader than the usual
type of ski, turning is more easily accomplished, but side slipping is,
of course, considerably increased. Ease in turning is a desirable
quality, to be sure, but steadiness and immunity from side slipping
are far more valuable qualities in a ski designed for all-around use.
In short, the Lilienfeld model possesses no decided advantages over
the Telemark type, but has many points of inferiority. To one who has
used both models there can be no question but that the Telemark
model is preferable.
When purchasing skis the sportsman will make no mistake in
selecting the Telemark model, and for an active person the skis
should be long enough to reach to the middle joint of the fingers,
when the arms are stretched above the head, and the ski is stood
upright on its heel. The length of a pair so selected will be from 7¹⁄₂
to 8 ft. For elderly and less active persons, for individuals of short
stature, and for ladies, skis reaching to the wrist joint will be about
right; the length ranging from 6¹⁄₂ to 7 ft. For youths and children
shorter skis, from 5 to 6 ft. in length, according to the size and
strength of the person, are of course required.

Fig. 1
The Telemark, Swedish and Lilienfeld Models with Grooves and Grooveless
Bottoms, the Telemark Being the Standard and Best All-Around Ski; the
Swedish is Long and Narrow with Upturned Heel, and the Lilienfeld Is Short
with a Round Point, More Abrupt Bend, and without a Groove

For all-around use where a large amount of straight running is

done, the running surface should be provided with a groove, but if
there is not much straight work to be done, and ease in turning is
regarded as an important factor, the running surface should be made
smooth. This necessitates making the skis to order, for practically all
ready-made skis of the Telemark model are fashioned with a shallow
groove. However, a groove may be easily cut in at any time if wanted
later on. While other types are at times preferred for special use in
certain localities, the Telemark-model ski is the standard, being
equally good for all kinds of work, straight running, uphill skiing, and
for jumping.
The best materials are hickory, or white ash, with a straight, even
grain running from end to end. Ash is well liked by many experts, but
it would indeed be difficult to find a more satisfactory wood than our
American hickory. In fact, many of the most prominent makers in
Europe are now fashioning their skis from American timber. As a
rule, the best well-seasoned ash, or hickory, is heavier in weight than
an inferior grade, and this is why the expert skier considers weight
as one of the reliable “earmarks” of first-class material. A good
hickory, or ash, ski made by any reputable maker will give the fullest
measure of satisfaction.
The finish of skis is purely a matter of personal taste, but
practically all Norwegian skis are painted black on the upper side,
while a few of the cheaper maple and pine implements are stained.
The plain varnished finish protects the wood as well as paint, but
allows the grain to show through, and is generally preferred by
experts. The running surface must be as smooth as possible to
obtain the best speed, and it must not be varnished, the wood being
filled with several coats of linseed oil to which a little wax has been
added. Tar is used to some extent, but this preparation is mostly
employed by Swedish makers.

The Requirements of Foot Binding

 Fig. 2

The manner in which the foot is secured to the ski is highly

important, and while various kinds of “bindings” are in use, from the
simple cane binding, which marked the first substantial improvement
over the twisted birch withes originally used by the peasantry of
Telemarken, the Huitfeldt bindings are for many reasons considered
the best by experts. The ski runner must have a foot binding that is
well secured under all ordinary conditions met with in ski running,
and it must be quite rigid and without lateral play. It is desirable also
that the foot be freed whenever a fall occurs, thus preventing
possible sprains at the ankle and knee, as well as avoiding breakage
of the straps. Again the heel of the skier should be free to move up
and down for at least 3 in., but the binding should check the vertical
movement at this height, thus easing the foot of undue strain when
the ski is slid forward, in climbing or working on the level. These
essential specifications are so well incorporated in the Huitfeldt
model that the description and illustrations of this admirable
attachment will suffice. As shown in Fig. 2, the boot is wedged into a
firm position between the metal toe piece at the sides. To secure a
rigid support, these toe pieces must be firmly wedged in position on
the ski, and the skiing shoe should fit between them snugly and well.
For this type of binding, a shoe having a stout sole is desirable so
that it may keep rigid under the pressure of the body at various
angles, and be heavy enough to stand the more or less constant
chafing of the metal toe plates. One excellent feature of this binding
is the arrangement of the toe and heel straps, which allow all
necessary vertical movement of the foot, yet at the same time
provide a fairly rigid strong, and reasonably light foot attachment.
When fitted with the Ellefsen tightening clamp, and it is a good plan
to order the Huitfeldt model so equipped, the skis are easily put on
and taken off. A large number of experts prefer this binding above all
others, but the Huitfeldt type of binding may be made by the skier if
desired. Any metalworker or blacksmith can supply the metal toe
pieces, and the binding may be completed by adding suitable straps,
or the foot may be secured at the heel by leather thongs.

The Skiing Stick

While there are occasions when the proficient ski runner can
dispense with the stick, as in jumping and practicing many fancy
turns and swings, a good stick must be reckoned a valuable
implement for climbing and downhill running, and often a help on a
level. The beginner should not depend too much upon the stick,
however, but should acquire the knack of handling the skis without
this aid early in his practice. In short, the novice should practice both
with and without the stick, that he may learn all the little points of
balancing the body unaided, but every skier ought to know how to
use the stick, that he may rely upon its assistance whenever
necessary.
 Fig. 3
Skiing Sticks with Staff of Bamboo or Hard Wood Having an Easily
Removable Aluminum Washer

The use of two sticks may be of help for mountain climbing, but
the majority of ski runners consider one stout stick to be of more real
service. For downhill running, the extra stick is of no value whatever,
but rather a hindrance, the one stick being all that is required for
braking. In choosing a stick, its height may be such that it will reach
to the shoulders of the skier, although many prefer a shorter one. On
the average, a stick 5 ft. long will be found about right for most
persons, while a proportionately shorter stick will be required for
boys and girls. Bamboo of good quality is generally preferred, since
it is light, elastic, and very stiff and strong. Hardwood sticks are a
trifle heavier, but if fashioned from straight-grain hickory, or ash, are
as satisfactory as the bamboo. In any case, the end of the stick
should be provided with a metal ice peg, and a ferrule to strengthen
the wood at this point. A few inches above the peg a ring, or disk, is
fastened, and this “snow washer” serves to keep the stick from
sinking too deeply into the snow. Wicker rings, secured with thongs
or straps, are much used, as are also disks of metal and hard rubber.
A decided improvement over these materials has been brought out
in a cup-shaped snow washer made of aluminum, which is flexible
and fastened to the stick with clamps so that it can be easily shifted
or removed at will. This feature is a good one, since the washer is
often useful for assisting braking in soft snow, but is likely to catch
and throw the runner if used upon crusted snow, hence the
detachable arrangement is of value in that it supplies an easy way to
take off the washer whenever desired. The sticks are shown in Fig.
3.

Necessities of the Skier’s Outfit

For skiing an ordinary pair of heavy-soled lace shoes that fit well
are suitable, but to keep the heel strap of a binding from slipping, the
shoes should have broad, concave heels, or a small strap and
buckle, firmly sewed in place at the extreme end of the heel, should
be fitted to them. Personally, I prefer the heel strap to the special
heel, but any cobbler can fit the shoes with either one. Specially
designed skiing shoes, or boots, as shown in Fig. 4, are to be had at
the sporting-goods dealers’, and while good, are somewhat
expensive, because most of them are imported. Of course, shoes for
skiing must be amply large so that one or two pairs of woolen socks
may be worn; two pairs of thin, woolen stockings being less bulky
and very much warmer than one extremely heavy pair.
 Fig. 4
Specially Designed Skiing Boots, Handmade for the Sport, with and without
Heel Buckles

For clothing, the soft, smooth finish of the regulation mackinaw

garments cannot be improved upon for outdoor winter wear,
although any suitable material will serve as well. Smooth-finish
material is the best in all cases, because cloth of rough texture will
cause the snow to stick and make it uncomfortable. Regulation
mackinaw trousers, split at the bottom and fastened with tapes to tie
close to the ankle, are as good as any, over which cloth puttees, or
leggings, may be worn to keep out the snow. For the coat, a
mackinaw, made Norfolk-style, with belt and flap pockets secured
with a button, has given me the most satisfaction. For ladies, close-
fitting knickerbockers and leggings are generally preferred when a
short skirt is worn.

How to Make Skis

 To anyone who can use a saw and plane, the making of a pair of
nicely balanced and durable skis is a very easy job. Ski making is far
easier than snowshoe construction, since each runner is made from
a single piece of plank, and no intricate filling is required. In choosing
the wood, either hickory or ash will give satisfaction, because both
are heavy woods, as well as strong and flexible, and may be worked
down much thinner than birch, fir, or other materials. If it is desired to
fashion the skis from the rough material, procure two ash, or hickory,
planks, about 9 ft. long and 2 in. thick. Should the maker wish to hew
his own material, select a sound and straight tree, about 10 in. in
diameter, free from knots for at least 10 ft., and fell it during the
winter. Place the log in the crotch of a stump and cut a groove along
its length with the ax, taking pains that the groove is straight and
about 1 in. in depth. Turn the log over and make a like groove in the
opposite side. Rap the bottom of the grooves lightly with the ax, to
start the split, and drive in small wood wedges, gradually working
them along as the wood splits. At some points the wood will very
likely split away from the groove, but by cutting these fibers, the split
may be kept along the grooves. As the strongest and best grain of
the wood will lie closest to the bark, only enough of the outside
should be hewn away to make a flat surface, for this is to be the
running surface of the ski. Skis may be made in any length and
width, but for a man of good height, 7 to 8 ft. is the correct length. In
Fig. 5 is given a complete layout pattern for an 8-ft. ski, and from the
dimensions it is an easy matter to fashion skis longer or shorter by
making use of these well-balanced proportions. While the plan of the
ski may be drawn directly on the plank, it is an excellent idea to
make a paper pattern, and laying this down on the board, trace
around it to get the correct outline.
 Fig. 5
A Complete Layout Pattern for an Eight-Foot Ski: From These Dimensions It
Is an Easy Matter to Fashion Skis Longer or Shorter by Making Use of These
Well-Balanced Proportions

Fig. 6
The Wood is Selected by the Way in Which the Growth of the Grain Runs
 When purchasing the sawed material, the buyer should endeavor
to obtain a plank which has been sawed out from the lower portion of
the trunk of the tree, from the outside. The dealer will not be able to
assist in choosing lumber for this particular purpose, hence the buyer
should know something about the growth of good wood in the tree,
and how to pick out this desirable material by noting the run of the
grain. This is very well shown in Fig. 6. The letters A, B, and C show
the run of the grain produced by the ring growth of the tree, and D,
E, and F indicate the appearance of rings, in the run of the grain
seen in the sawed plank. The best possible choice for wood is
represented by A and D, because the layers of good and elastic
wood run deep, and there is practically no soft layers of punky wood.
That represented by B and E, and that of C and F, contain a larger
percentage of soft layers, and while skis can be, and often are,
fashioned from this kind of material, the wood is less strong and
flexible than that of wood showing the grain as A and D, hence the
latter should be chosen whenever it is possible to do so. While wood
of fairly close grain does not necessarily indicate inferiority, if the
material is hickory, yet if ash is selected, the purchaser should select
an open, or widely spaced, grain in preference to a close and even-
grained plank. And this is so because in all trees the grain
represents the more quickly grown soft wood—formed in the period
of greatest growth, which is in the spring and summer months—
hence the more grain present in the plank and the closer it runs, the
more soft and punky wood is present, and the less durable the
material will be for the purpose.
When drawing the dimensions on green, or partly seasoned,
timber, a certain amount of shrinkage will occur, hence be sure to
allow for this and make the width about ¹⁄₄ in. greater. When working
seasoned lumber, this need not be taken into consideration.
After the outline of the ski has been sawed out, the bottom, or
running surface, should be planed perfectly smooth, with the grain
running straight and true from the point to the heel. The ski should
be worked down to the desired dimensions before bending, and from
the top, or upper, side only, never from the running surface. When
the correct thickness has been reached, the bend at the point may
be put in by soaking the wood well to make it pliable. This is most
easily done by heating water in a wash boiler, and when the water
boils, place the ski across the top and thoroughly soak the wood by
mopping with the boiling water, using a cloth tied to a stick. That the
bend may be gradual and not too abrupt, do not attempt to bend it to
the desired arc at once, but gradually work the wood and resort to
numerous hot-water treatments until a good 6-in. bend is obtained.
The arch in the running surface is easily obtained, and if bent too
much, is easily straightened out when cold. Of course, more bend
must be given the skis than the actual curve will be when finished,
since the wood will straighten out somewhat as it dries. Some kind of
a form will come in handy, and this may be furnished by making a
rough frame and placing a short length of log of the proper diameter
at the bends, or the tips may be lashed, or cleated, to the floor of the
workbench. A very easy method is shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 7

After the bends are made, the hole for the foot binding should be
put in, and if the wood has been left plenty long, the skis may be
trimmed off at the heel so that they will balance nicely when lifted by
the toe straps. This is the best way, for while a few skiers prefer to
make the heel light and weight it with lead, there is no advantage in
doing so.
The groove in the exact center of the running surface should now
be cut in, which is made about ¹⁄₈ in. deep, and ³⁄₈ to ¹⁄₂ in. in width. A
grooving plane is most convenient, but a small gouge, if carefully
used, will do as well. The groove should run from the heel to the
beginning of the bend.
To finish the ski, sandpaper top and bottom smooth, and rub down
with linseed oil to which little paraffin, or beeswax, has been added.
The running surface of the ski should be finished with oil and waxed,
and it is an advantage that the entire ski be finished in the same
manner, as less snow will stick to the tops than if varnish is used.
The experienced skier is more concerned about the running qualities
of his skis than the finish, but the novice is more likely to be attracted
by fancy implements. When varnished tops are wanted, a glossy and
durable surface is obtained by brushing on a couple of coats of good
spar varnish.
A tube, or cake, of wax should be carried by every skier, for the
running surface must have numerous coatings that the snow may
not stick to the wood. Both paraffin and beeswax are suitable, and
the skier may use one of the several good preparations put up in
tubes and in cakes, or melt up his own, as preferred. A good cake, or
hard, wax is made by melting up 10 oz. of beeswax with 5 oz. of
rosin. When melted, stir in 1 oz. of turpentine and pour in small
boxes to form cakes of convenient size.
The running surfaces are often waxed by rubbing the wax on and
then going over the surfaces with a hot flatiron. This is a good
method, providing only a sufficient quantity of wax has been applied.
A too liberal application of wax cannot be called a disadvantage
when running downhill, but it will make the runners so slippery that
climbing uphill is difficult.
 Filling Toy Rubber Balloons with Hydrogen

Apparatus for Filling Toy Rubber Balloons with Hydrogen Gas to Make Them
Fly to a Great Height