The HydroTimor weBlog

Respeito ba fiar tradicionais nebe sei forti iha Timor laran, inkluindo iha suco Gariuai, Objeito mak hanesan Be matan, Fatuk no Aihun nebe konsidera hanesan fatin “Lulik”. Ofende lulik bele hamoso konsekunsia ba ema nebe ofende nune’e mos ba komunidade nebe hela besik area ne’e. Ofenda lulik iha be matan bele hamosu konsekuensia hanesan be bele maran.

Uma stasaun elektricidade situado iha area sagrado (relaciona ho lulik), besik fatuk lulik. Atu seguru ba succeso ba konstrusaun, e nune’e mos saude ba trabalhadores no ba komunidade local nia futuro, ami realiza ceremonia traditional ho nune’e bele hetan licensa atu halo konstrusaun iha fatin lulik. Kostume ceremonia hirak ne’e halao wain hira atu kuda to’os ou natar iha area nebe foun, kolheita batar ou hare no mos aktividade seluk.

Ceremonia realiza husi Sr. Arlindo Sarmento no inklui mos oferta manu, tua, bua no malus (material ba cermonia rituala) . Rán husi manu nebe oho no tua sei kari ou fakar iha fatin konstrusaun uma produsan elektrisidade, bua no malus sei rai besik fatuk nebe konsidera hanesan fatin lulik. E depois manu na’an nebe prepara ona sei fahe ba participante hotu. Ho nune’e projekto bele hetan kondisaun nebe seguru iha futuro.

Lia nain ba ceremonia ritual ne’e sei hatais ropa tradicionais, sei oho manu hanesan parte husi ceremonia hodi hetan lisensa ba konstrusaun uma produsaun energia husi lulik (bei ala sira).
Foto : Kassius Klei Ximenes

Respect for traditional beliefs is strong throughout the country, including in Gariuai. Objects like springs, stones and trees may be sacred homes to a god, or “lulik” in Tetum. Offending the lulik causes problems both for the offender and for the people living in the area: Offending the lulik of a spring may cause the water to dry out.

The Gariuai powerhouse is situated at a sacred site, next to the lulik in a large stone. To secure a successful construction of the house, as well as good health for the workers and the future of the local people, we performed a traditional ceremony in order to obtain permission for the construction from the lulik. Such ceremonies are often used when cultivating new land, building a new farm, planting crops and for other purposes.

The ceremony was performed by Mr Arlindo Sarmento, and included offering a chicken, wine and betel nuts. Blood from the chicken and wine was spilled on the powerhouse site, and the nuts buried beside the lulik. Then the bird was prepared and eaten by the participants. Thus the project is blessed and it’s future secured.

The ceremonial master, dressed in traditional garb, cut the throat of a chicken as part of the ceremony to obtain permission for the construction of the powerhouse from the lulik.
Photo: Kassius Klei Ximenes

The power house site has been cleared for vegetation and the digging has started. Steel trusses, doors and windows are under construction, either at the Salesian training centre in Fatumaka, or in Dili. All drawings for the construction are received. The work is supervised by Mr Arlindo Sarmento, a Dili based contractor of ViqZum/Lemorai Hamutuk.

The power house will contain the turbine, generator, transformer and other necessary equipment. It is expected to be completed during September, and the turbine to be installed shortly after. Final testing will however not be possible before the completion of the penstock, due early 2008.

Local workers digging the powerhouse site. Behind, discussing details described in the drawings, we see (from left) Mr Vasco Pinto (ViqZum), Mr Alf Adeler (HydroTimor) and Mr Arlindo Sarmento (Lemorai).
Photo: Basil Rolandsen (www.bouvet.info)

It may not be a real power station, but at least there is a solar panel installed at the power house site now…

HydroTimor’s Kassius Klei Ximenes assisted by Construction Manager Vasco Pinto installed the panel, which charges a battery to supply electricity providing light to the site office and the staff living quarters.

Solar power is a resource HydroTimor will install another place, as well: The Bereleu primary school near Liqidoe will soon receive solar panels, which will help students finishing their home work, as well as benefiting the staff preparing for next day. The school has been very helpful to HydroTimor during water measurements in the area, and we thought this might be a nice way to say “thank you”. They seem to agree…

Photo: Basil Rolandsen (www.bouvet.info)

Heavy rains during March to May led to some delays, affecting both digging of ditches and transportation of pipes, but the work is now progressing satisfactory again.

The penstock (i.e pipeline transporting water from the sources to the generator) are divided into two sections: The larger section, consisting of 400 mm pipes will be 1440 meters long, and now about 820 meters are completed, including a small pipe for signal cable. The smaller section, consisting of 250 mm pipes connect the larger pipes with the two intakes, a total 900 meters (one stretch of 350 m and one of 550 m).

The larger section is expected to be completed during October, and the smaller stretches probably not until early 2008. The terrain is very difficult, the work is demanding, and the completion will depend on the onset of the next rainy season…

Photo: Basil Rolandsen (www.bouvet.info)

Due to the heavy rains recently, there will be delays in the site work.

Thank you for checking out the weblog! It is to be a part of the HydroTimor website, and we aim for it to be launched by the beginning of April 2007. Welcome back!