DILI, 14 July 2026 (TATOLI) – U.S. Embassy Dili, in partnership with Timor Aid, held an exhibition at the Presidential Palace on July 14, 2026, celebrating the Uma Lulik Cultural Preservation Project – a two-year initiative made possible by a $235,000 U.S. Department of State Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) grant to document, safeguard, and share the cultural patrimony of the Uma Lulik, Timor-Leste’s traditional sacred houses.
The event brought together members of the diplomatic corps, Lian-Nain (traditional custodians), community representatives, and government officials. U.S. Embassy Dili Chargé d’Affaires Bruce Begnell and President José Ramos-Horta both addressed the audience.
As CDA Begnell stated: “We meet at a time of rapid global change. As a full member of ASEAN, Timor-Leste is engaging with the region in new and dynamic ways. Preserving heritage ensures that progress moves forward with identity and confidence. Your dedication demonstrates how cultural preservation can serve as a bridge between past wisdom and future opportunity.”
Six Uma Lulik from Baucau, Bobonaro, Covalima, Ainaro, Lautém, and Oecusse were documented through film, photography, and printed materials. Documentation captured tangible elements – structures, sacred objects, and their connection to natural features such as sacred water, stone, and mountain – as well as intangible elements including harvest rituals, ceremonies invoking ancestral spirits, and customary restoration practices reflecting generations of Timorese knowledge and belief.
The United States is honored to have partnered with Timor Aid in preserving Timor-Leste’s cultural identity for future generations.
TATOLI
