Suai Media Space

WITHIN days of the Chinese government’s handing over two patrol boats to East Timor, two much bigger ships from the US Navy anchored off Dili last week, bringing with them more than 2000 marines. more…

Paul Cleary: the author of this article was a World Bank-appointed adviser to the first East Timor government. He is the author of Shakedown — Australia’s grab for Timor oil.

At a meeting of the Council of Port Phillip in May an extension to the Friendship Agreement with Suai was agreed to in principal.

Since then the Friends of Suai have been celebrating the ten years with a range of activities. The first was an exhibition held in The Gallery St Kilda Town Hall titled Connections Across the Timor Sea – Memory Friendship and Future.

On September 9 President Jose Ramos Horta will visit Port Phillip and attend a civic reception to be held in the St Kilda Town Hall. On the following day the 10th September Friends of Suai will hold a Schools Forum in the Town Hall. ) President Jose Ramos Hort will give a speech titled ‘Facing the Future’ about regional partnerships and getting connected with our Asian neighbours as well as the challenges and rewards for Australia. According to Co-ordinator of Friends of Suai Pat Jessen  a federal politician, still be be announced, will be speaking on the real challenges regional politics has for ordinary Australians.

The most exciting thing about the morning is the fact it will bring together for the first time in Port Phillip Aboriginal culture and Timorese culture as an Aboriginal elder will provide a ‘Welcome to Country’ and Timorese music and traditional dancers will welcome guests.

Schools are invited to attend and participate in a plenary for students to consider what they think about staying connected with East Timor.

A unique glimpse of a young teenager (Armindo), telling his story in song – accompanying himself on a beautiful little home made ukelele.  Recorded  by the documentary-maker 7 months after the Suai Church Massacre on the verandah of a house rehabilitated for the use of Timor Aid.

The following slideshow contains eleven paintings of landscapes from the bright and lush representations of ‘Collection of Flowers to the most bleak in ‘Untitled’ ‘Think about the Future’and ‘Boat of Life’.

Perhaps the most interesting are ‘East Timor‘ and ‘Habelun ho Lafaek‘ that provide interesting global and mythological perspectives on the island of East Timor. (see cultural notes on crocodile myth) Once again we find women in the landscape and just one man who could be Xanana in ‘Director Liberty’ overlooking a devastated landscape covered with bodies and guns while a young man holds up the Timorese flag. Other interesting landscape works are in the Bundoora Exhibition and Paintings on Tais.

Click on the thumbnails to view portrait work by artists and medium.

See full screen slideshow:click small square right-hand side at the bottom.

Mariano Mari Portraits Mari  Political Comment

All Photographs courtesy Arte Moris the Free Art School in Dili and thanks to the Artists.

(For Full screen click the small box on the right hand side at the bottom)

Mariano Mari Portraits Mari Traditional Culture

All Photographs Courtesy Arte Moris the Free Art School in Dili – and thanks to the artists.

(For Full Screen click the small box on the right hand side at the bottom of the screen)

About Gibrael Political Comment  Portraits of Emotion Traditional Culture

All Photographs Courtesy Arte Moris the Free Art School Dili and thanks to the artists.

(For Full Screen click small box at the bottom of the slideshow box).