DILI, 30 april 2024 (TATOLI) – Timorese students need to learn about their traditional textile ‘Tais’, cultural costumes and arts passed down by the previous generations to boost their national identity and link them to their past.
In order to enhance students’ awareness of their cultural heritage, the Government of Timor-Leste, through the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Art and Culture (MoYSAC) and the Ministry of Education have planned to incorporate Timor-Leste’s traditional clothes ‘Tais’ into the educational curriculum.
Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture, Nelio Isac Sarmento said that students need to be taught the things that strengthen their sense of national belonging, and love of traditional costumes: “Children would learn about Timor-Leste’s traditional textile ‘Tais’, a cultural heritage which has diverse motifs and has cultural values.”
He said that by incorporating Tais into the educational curriculum helps educators to effectively guide students to find real truth and knowledge and, at the same time, realize their true essence through tradition.
Minister Sarmento said that this would contribute to preserving Timor-Leste’s traditional textile ‘Tais’ and national identity.
Education Minister Dulce de Jesus also raised the importance of teaching Tais to elementary school students.
“Today, we discussed how to incorporate the Tais into our educational curriculum to improve children’s knowledge of the culture and promote their national identity,” said Minister Dulce at a seminar held at the INFORDEPE hall in Dili.
On 15 december 2021, the sixteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage approved the inscription of Tais on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
Journalist: Jose Belarmino de Sa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
