In 2003, within a year of Timor-Leste gaining formal independence, a women’s art cooperative called LO’UD, was founded by female resistance fighters.
LO’UD weavers from the country’s far-eastern municipality of Lautem, still work to preserve culture and alleviate poverty by marketing naturally dyed, hand-woven textiles know as Tais.
Tais weaving is a traditional skill taught to girls from a young age. Through the use of specific designs and patterns, Tais are an expression of Timor-Leste’s diverse cultural identity, and this important tradition has endured despite successive occupations.
LO’UD and Australian volunteer organisation East Timor Women Australia (ETWA), celebrate 20 years of cooperation in 2024. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of Timor-Leste’s independence ballot and the start of the Australian-led UN mission known as InterFET.
Tais, Culture & Resilience is dedicated to Marcelina Pinto and Dr. Helen Hill, who fought for Timor-Leste’s sovereignty. This exhibition has been curated by ETWA in partnership with Trinity College, and includes photography by Elaine Briere, Sally Gray, Jorge da Araujo, and Ross Bird, and audio-visual design by Marcus Salvagno.
Exhibition Opening Hours
Dates: September 24 to December 10, 2024
Opening Hours: 10am - 4pm | Tuesdays & Thursdays
Location: Professor Sir Joseph Burke Gallery, Gateway Building, Trinity College, University of Melbourne, 100 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052
Enter through the Tin Alley entrance. VIEW MAP Tin Alley is off Royal Parade after gates A, B and C if you're heading towards the city.
In Collaborative partnership with:
With generous support by our partners:
Born of Fire and Ash
by Craig Stockings
The Official history of Australian peacekeeping operations in East Timor - Vol. 1.
A comprehensive examination of Australia’s military involvement in East Timor, Afghanistan, and Iraq from 1999 to 2009. Stockings explores the political motivations, strategic challenges, and operational complexities behind each mission, offering insights into Australia’s evolving role in global conflicts. The book critically analyzes the successes, failures, and long-term impacts of these interventions, while reflecting on how they shaped Australia’s defense policies and international standing during a tumultuous decade of global military engagement.
We invite you to contribute
Collaboration has surpassed our expectations, opening up exciting new opportunities to elevate the exhibition.
We invite you to contribute to our (Austalian Culture Fund) fundraising campaign to bring our immersive audiovisual exhibition to life, celebrating the resilience of Timor-Leste’s cultural arts and showcasing the collaborative efforts of photographers, community developers, and audio-visual designers spanning over two decades of solidarity and partnership with Timor-Leste’s women.
We are deeply grateful for the generous support we have received through donations so far!
With your support to reach our target we can:
-Amplify and elevate the exhibition’s impact to bring Timor-Leste’s cultural stories to life.
-Fund essentials like quality printing, cultural items, and marketing to ensure this free exhibition reaches as many people as possible.
Donations made via the Australian Cultural Fund are tax deductible