ABSTRACT
The people of Timor Leste have a complex history. Many of the current problems and issues facing this small nation can only be understood with reference to the historical roots of these problems, and thus, in terms of East Timorese experiences during pre-colonial, colonial, Indonesian, and United Nations Transitional Administration periods. In this chapter I outline briefly our knowledge of the pre-history of Timor Leste and focus on the colonial contact period. The following sections highlight key historical events that had an important impact on the historical, cultural, and political development of Timor Leste. The aim of this chapter is not to provide an exhaustive historical account but to examine the ways in which the Dutch and Portuguese presence on Timor Island has affected the experiences of the Timorese people and the country’s development. In these historical considerations, I am focusing on the period between the first contact with the Portuguese and the relinquishment of Portuguese claims over East Timor which led to a nine-day-long “Independence.” This chapter will also ask the question whether it is accurate to talk about a Portuguese colonial period or whether it would be better to refer to a Portuguese contact period (cf. Fox 2000).
