Traditional Ceremony to Obtain Permission
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