History of East Timor: Part I

Before I came to East Timor I didn't know too much about this resilient country. I heard that it had a horrible history of war, death, and poverty, became independent and still struggles as a new nation.  Now that I've been in East Timor for about 2 1/2 months, I've had the chance to soak in some of the rich history and culture. I want to share with you a little of what I have learned so far: 

Last week I had the opportunity to see the eye-opening movie Rosa's Journey: The Story of a Nation. It tells the story of life in East Timor after independence through the eyes of a resilient young widow and mother of 8 living in Dili.  If you are up to watching a heavy 1 hour documentary I highly recommend watching the prequel, East Timor-Birth of a Nation: Rosa's Story.  It's worth it. Hearing Rosa's story really put things into perspective for me. Although I knew some of the facts about the life struggles here, seeing this documentary made me even more sympathetic and understanding.

Rosa was born in East Timor in 1974, the year before Indonesia invaded. She witnessed her father being murdered when she was 4 years old. Her mother died of starvation from trying to provide food for her 8 children. At 33, her husband died from malaria, leaving her with 7 children. Her eighth child was the result of a rape. For a while she worked as a cleaner, earning $3.50 a day, but was forced to quit her job after the birth of her youngest daughter. Even after so many hardships Rosa remained determined to give her children a good education and the opportunities denied to her by war and poverty. 

 

When I went to watch the movie Balibo I saw Rosa with some of her kids and friends. I had to take a picture. 

Balibo tells the story of 6 journalist from Australia who were killed when they came to East Timor in 1975 to report the Indonesian Invasion. The incredibly difficult and dangerous assignment was based in Balibo, about 6 miles from the Indonesian border. It's a shocking story that brings to life the events of the invasion.  

Here is the trailer:   

These two movies gave me a better understanding of the history of East Timor both from the Timorese perspective and from the foreign perspective. It's so heart wrenching and completely maddening to think these stories are the reality for many Timorese.

    

East Timor became an independent nation in 2002 and they are continuing to rebuild their country. For a glimpse into what East Timor is like after independence here is a news clip: