Musical practices and endangered heritage on the island of Atauro

Dana Rappoport Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), FRANCE; Centre Asie du Sud-Est (CASE), FRANCE

Musical practices on the island of Atauro (Timor Leste) have not yet been documented. In this island, music is still an integral part of social life, as electricity has not come in yet. Music welds relationships by the sharing of emotions linked to a common past. It also enlivens all the festivities with rounds and songs revealing a subtle poetry. However, both inland and on the coast, several repertoires are in danger of extinction. Some important songs and instrumental practice have disappeared because the rituals on which they depended have been interrupted. How do the inhabitants feel about this disappearance? What can be the reasons and the consequences for this extinction?