Communities in Ermera Municipality are pleased with the tradition of Tara Bandu, (placing a prohibition) organized by the traditional elders and local authorities, in order to protect the nature and animals from irresponsible people.
The President of the Authority of Ermera Municipality, Jose Martinho said from 2012 until now the Ermera Municipality has significantly progressed, because the communities have reduced barlake and lia (expenses spent on traditional ceremonies).
“This is a significant progress for the communities who used to live in houses with a thatched roof and palm branches, they have decreased, now almost 80% of the community lives in a house that is completely hygienic, due to the tradition of Tara Bandu,” he said in Ermera.
He informed that the main purpose was to teach the communities not to destroy the plants and wild animals, for no reason.
“To regulate people not to cut down the trees or hunt wild animals arbitrarily, includes regulation and culture obligations to raise costs for the family’s expense, so they can send their children to schools until higher education,” he said.
The President went on to say expenses for culture ceremonies, in particular, ceremonies for the wife and husband’s families in Ermera, was higher than before the implementation of Tara Bandu.
He said the aim was not to remove the cultural practice, but to reduce the expenses for unimportant things.
“Because, parents often save money for ceremonies and have no money to send the children to school,” he said.
He informed that this was a strong tradition and often attended by important leaders, such as the former President of the Republic Timor-Leste Jose Ramos Horta and the late Dili Diocese Dom Alberto Ricardo da Silva and all traditional elders and all priests in the Ermera Municipality.
In addition, communities also were banned to not dance (party) at night, even though some people still did and as well, let the animals roam freely unattended.
He said for those who broke the regulations and rules, they will pay a fine. “We are working with the church so who breaks the regulations will get sanctions by doing a service at the church,” he said.
One resident from the community Bendito de Jesus shared that after implementing the Tara Bandu in their municipality, the vegetation and plants were
growing, there are no wild animals as no one cut down trees or hunts down the animals arbitrarily.
“Yes, it is good because people do not haunt the wild animals or cut down the trees arbitrarily,” he said.
