June 2017

So probably the biggest thing which has happened in the last month is Cruz Joven which means Youth Cross. After the Santa Cruz cemetery massacre in 1991, in which the Indonesians opened fire on a demonstration by students over the death of another student, killing over 250 people, a timber cross was constructed and toured the country in secret. It became a really big symbol of resistance to the Indonesian occupation. Nowadays it still tours the country, but this time with great ceremony, visiting every little aldea or village and it is a huge deal when it visits your aldea. As per the photos, it moves from one aldea to the next in a specially constructed pope mobile type vehicle with hundreds of people following it, singing and praying. The short video is the ceremony at the boundary between the two aldeas and incorporates local culture with the dancing and drumming. It had been in Balibo and then was transferred to Marino and Rofina’s aldea, Fatuk Laran. We followed the procession to their place with no real thought about what would happen next, then suddenly found ourselves conducted to the front row of the congregation for what turned out to be a whole lot of speeches followed by a 2 hour mass. That was a first for Poz, which he has no real desire to repeat! We went to just watch it go by at about 10.30 a.m., decided to follow it up the hill then somehow got caught up and ended up finally eating lunch (luckily invited to stay!) at 3pm. Like Independence Day it was a reminder of their troubled recent history and it was a privilege to be there and be part of such a significant event. It stays about a week in each village and it has been calculated that it will take about 30 years to tour the whole country so we were really lucky to be here when it came to Balibo. When it is in each village everyone gets their kids baptized or gets married - 136 people got married in Balibo last week. Next week we’ve been invited to Marino and Rofina’s wedding which will be the day before Cruz Joven moves on.

A few funny things we want to remember…
Jemey, our landlord’s son solemnly informing us that the small plastic packages that Manuel put in the water tank were to prevent “the worm”. Somehow it sounds so much worse in the singular. We were horrified, thinking “what worm???!!!”
Ou





Charlie’s comeback, after Poz gave him a roasting about something then when trying to discuss his lack of contrition “it's no use dwelling in the past Dad. I know I've done something wrong but you have to move on.”
Ginny’s Balibo identity “Charlie ama” - Charlie’s Mum. This is what kids call out to me as I go by.
Going to our second post funeral function (40 days after original funeral). Once again sat around for 3 hours until 10.30 before invited to eat - as usual had to go to buffet table first which makes one feel extremely self conscious. Poz had left to look after Charlie at home just 10 min earlier so he had all the waiting and none of the eating. Then drinks not offered until eating finished - but happily, instead of warm Bintang, they produced Sangria! Just wish it had appeared at 7pm instead of 11.30.
Mana Kela’s 3 year old daughter with her pathological fear of malae (i.e., us) bursting into terrified tears every time she lays eyes on us.
Marino and Poz going to do maintenance on the solar water pump, two up on the moto with a 6 foot step ladder, machete, hand saw and bucket. What could go wrong?
Charlie carrying his chicken Minkle around Balibo in shoulder bag as per photo.

Meeting yet another person with a Hawkesbury connection. In addition to meeting a former builder from Kurrajong, a couple from North Richmond, a woman who used to live in Bowen Mountain, the other day we met a couple who went to Hawkesbury Ag College who asked over a few drinks did we know the McEwans. Hmm, only John & Maia & their son Bani, Ross’s apprentice! We've only probably talked to about a dozen passing Australians since being here so it's pretty weird.