Database of Southeast Asian Sociocultural Information

Timor-Leste is a newly liberated country in South East Asia. It became an independent sovereign state by declaring independence from Indonesia. Per its history, it suggests that man might have been living in Jerimalai cave for over 42,000 years (พรชัย สุจิตต์, 2557:23).(หน้า 31)This indicates indigenous people had lived on this land for so long before the Portuguese ruled over for 400 years. After that, it was attacked and occupied by Indonesian for another 24 years. Those historical contexts do not seem vivid only in the Timorese memories, but they are also recollected in the three museums in Timor, Timorese Resistance Archive & Museum, Museum and Cultural Centre of Timor –Lesteand, and Xanana Cultural Centre. Each museum has different founding purposes.

Timorese Resistance Archive & Museum

Timorese Resistance Archive & Museum is in Dili, a capital city of Timor. Its official opening for public began in December, 7 2005, the date that marked 30 years after Indonesian force conquered this land in 1975. Therefore, this place keeps and displays several essential tools used to fight for Timor independence such as photos, guns and communicating tools. When the time goes by, it is going to be a symbol of hard-earned independence for the next generation. Timorese Resistance Archive& Museum is a shared memory of a nation of Timor-Leste.

Museum and Cultural Centre of Timor -Leste

Museum and Cultural Centre of Timor -Leste is a joint development between Timorese government and UNESCO, located in the capital city of Dili. It was founded with a purpose to show the nation’s identity and displays various objects deemed cultural treasures. The government expects this place to be more than a museum and cultural center. They wish it would be a tourist attraction where it provides sufficient knowledge for public and visitors at the same time (Ruy Cinatti, 2009).

Xanana Cultural Centre

Xanana Cultural Centre is in Dili, the capital city of Timor. Its building was constructed in Portuguese colonial fashion. Although it is known as a cultural center, it also features a notable story of President Xanana Gusmao, a prominent fighter for Timor independence. He became the first president after Timor was liberated from Indonesia. The centerdisplays several photos including the paintings by Xanana Gusmao. He created those while he was in the prison in Jakarta (Lonely Planet, 2016).

Apart from displaying some memorabilia of its former president, it is an UNESCO establishment (Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA), 2014) and a learning center for Timorese youth as well. At the present, Xanana Cultural Centre is a public library with computer and free Internet (Volunteer Service Abroad VSA, 2014).