A CULTURA MAMBAI帝汶“曼拜”文化
This article analyzes the Mambai culture in Timor (Timor-Leste), proposing an integrated reading of language, social organization, and religious beliefs associated with esoteric practices and initiation rituals. Based on the observation that Mambai is one of the main Austronesian languages of the te...
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| Published in: | Review of Culture |
|---|---|
| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Articles |
| Published: |
Instituto Cultural de Macau
April 2006
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.icm.gov.mo/rc/viewer/pdfViewerParts/40018/3763 |
| _version_ | 1877196271054225408 |
|---|---|
| author | Francisco Maria Fernandes |
| author_autocomplete | Francisco Maria Fernandes |
| author_browse | Francisco Maria Fernandes |
| author_facet | Francisco Maria Fernandes Francisco Maria Fernandes |
| author_sort | Francisco Maria Fernandes |
| container_title | Review of Culture |
| container_title_str | Review of Culture |
| container_volume | 18 |
| container_volume_str | 18 |
| description | This article analyzes the Mambai culture in Timor (Timor-Leste), proposing an integrated reading of language, social organization, and religious beliefs associated with esoteric practices and initiation rituals. Based on the observation that Mambai is one of the main Austronesian languages of the territory, with Malay influences and a marked geographical distribution (especially in the mountainous interior districts), the author articulates the identity-related dimension of the language with values considered central to local culture, such as the valorization of strength and of military and religious hierarchy. Methodologically, the text is based on the author’s personal collection and field notes, articulated with references to the results of United Nations surveys (2001) on the use of Mambai, and with a comparison to missionary production in other Timorese languages published in Macao. The main conclusions show that the Mambai religious vocabulary preserves fundamental categories of the worldview (such as Sun, Moon, Star, Earth, and divinity), suggesting a cosmology centered on natural and divine forces and a spiritual conception that is not equivalent to body/soul dualisms. The article further highlights the importance of a system of names for divinities and ancestors, and the presence of interpretive difficulties faced by external observers. |
| first_indexed | 2026-09-11T02:56:53Z |
| format | Articles |
| genre | Articles |
| genre_facet | Articles |
| hierarchy_browse | Review of Culture{{{_ID_}}}zotero-coll-76L3BRGH |
| hierarchy_parent_id | zotero-coll-76L3BRGH |
| hierarchy_parent_title | Review of Culture |
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| hierarchy_top_title | News |
| hierarchytype | Default |
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| issn | 1682-1106 |
| last_indexed | 2026-09-11T02:56:53Z |
| latest_content_date | 2026-09-11T02:56:53Z |
| publishDate | April 2006 |
| publishDateRange | 2006 |
| publishDateSort | 2006 |
| publishPlace | Macau |
| publisher | Instituto Cultural de Macau |
| publisherStr | Instituto Cultural de Macau |
| record_format | zotero |
| spelling | A CULTURA MAMBAI帝汶“曼拜”文化 This article analyzes the Mambai culture in Timor (Timor-Leste), proposing an integrated reading of language, social organization, and religious beliefs associated with esoteric practices and initiation rituals. Based on the observation that Mambai is one of the main Austronesian languages of the territory, with Malay influences and a marked geographical distribution (especially in the mountainous interior districts), the author articulates the identity-related dimension of the language with values considered central to local culture, such as the valorization of strength and of military and religious hierarchy. Methodologically, the text is based on the author’s personal collection and field notes, articulated with references to the results of United Nations surveys (2001) on the use of Mambai, and with a comparison to missionary production in other Timorese languages published in Macao. The main conclusions show that the Mambai religious vocabulary preserves fundamental categories of the worldview (such as Sun, Moon, Star, Earth, and divinity), suggesting a cosmology centered on natural and divine forces and a spiritual conception that is not equivalent to body/soul dualisms. The article further highlights the importance of a system of names for divinities and ancestors, and the presence of interpretive difficulties faced by external observers. Instituto Cultural de Macau Macau Review of Culture Articles April 2006 Francisco Maria Fernandes |
| spellingShingle | A CULTURA MAMBAI帝汶“曼拜”文化 Francisco Maria Fernandes |
| title | A CULTURA MAMBAI帝汶“曼拜”文化 |
| title_autocomplete | A CULTURA MAMBAI帝汶“曼拜”文化 |
| title_full | A CULTURA MAMBAI帝汶“曼拜”文化 |
| title_fullStr | A CULTURA MAMBAI帝汶“曼拜”文化 |
| title_full_unstemmed | A CULTURA MAMBAI帝汶“曼拜”文化 |
| title_short | A CULTURA MAMBAI帝汶“曼拜”文化 |
| title_sort | a cultura mambai帝汶“曼拜”文化 |
| url | https://www.icm.gov.mo/rc/viewer/pdfViewerParts/40018/3763 |
| zotero_collection_key | 76L3BRGH |