The Secretariat of State for Art and Culture set up an Art and Culture festival competition across all the 13 districts in Timor-Leste with the objective to preserve Timor’s culture and promote tourism nationally.
Throughout the competition traditional groups were invited from all 13 districts but only 12 districts participated. Lautem District did not manage to participate because the coordinator of the traditional group of that district died.
The 12 district groups performed dahur or tebe traditional dances, showed their paintings and played koremetan (traditional) music.
“Every year we come to present our dances because everyone tells us we must not make our culture disappear,” said the Secretary of State for Art and Culture (SEAK), Maria Isabel de Jesus Ximenes, said during the opening of the competition at the Convention Center in Dili.
She said it is important Timor-Leste’s traditional culture does not disappear, therefore SEAK is committed to promoting this event every year.
“That’s why we called all districts to present their culture, traditional dances, dahur and koremetan music,” said SE Ximenes.
Meanwhile the President of the Organising Commission, Cecilia Assis, said the festival was part SEAKS annual program of activities.
“During the 3 days of competition there was much traditional dance, koremetan and Tebe Dahur,” President Assis explained.
The judging team of the competition was composed by Jeca Smith assessing Koremetan music, Eugenio Sarmento judging traditional dance, Lita Monteiro and Mito Soares for modern music and Rui de Carvalho for costumes and designs.
The total budget for the competition was $72,000 and the money was used for trips and accommodation, food, per-diems and to pay the judges.
“We will award prizes and certificates throughout the competition. Groups will get $300 to $400 each,” she added.
Meanwhile Bendito da Costa Amaral from the traditional dance group from Ermera District said the event was very important in order to better promote Timor’s culture.
“We trained during one week to prepared to participate in the competition,” he said.
His group took second place this year.
“I am not worried about winning or losing and next year we will be back so we can promote our culture.”
The cultural festival competition lasted three days from 13-15 November 2013.
