Timor-Leste musicians release albums documenting survival and identity

Artists from Timor-Leste released three albums and a single through the Wantok Musik Foundation to preserve the country's cultural history and stories of survival.

The project involves young artists who collaborated with elders and community members to record traditional songs that were at risk of being lost.

David Bridie, a co-artistic director at the Wantok Musik Foundation, says the initiative grew from a need to protect cultural practices that were interrupted during the Indonesian occupation of Timor-Leste from 1975 to 1999. The music also documents the experiences of women who survived the conflict. Sixteen young women songwriters, storytellers, and filmmakers met with older women survivors to hear their accounts. These creators then wrote songs to honor the sacrifices and resilience of those women.

The project ensures that the older artists retain the copyright to their stories and songs. The artists aim to use the music to educate younger generations about the nation's history and the experiences of its people. The foundation plans to celebrate the releases through a concert series in Australia, where Timorese artists will perform alongside Australian First Nations and other regional performers in Melbourne and Sydney.