ABSTRACT
The mangrove site of Fesawa, on the Southern coast of East Timor, in the province of Suai, is a renowned sacred site for Tetun and Bunaq populations of the area. Its sacredness is expressed through different versions of narratives associated to the place. These narratives, together with some bans associated with the place, represent the main and efficient means of control over the sacred site, although it can also limit the resources used by local populations. The myths of origin of Fesawa are widely diffused in the area of Suai Kamanasa, in East Timor, under multiple versions. They stage female weavers from the seashore whose village is being destroyed by kings “from the mountains,” hence initiating the founding of new societies. Narratives such as these, involving founders and symbolic elements, are attached to specific places regarded as sacred. Through such narratives, locals build their territory while stressing its spatial, historical and socio-political dimensions. Today, threats such as the development of oil infrastructure or climate change affect these sacred sites and the knowledge associated with them. They open up the possibility of conflicts between the different stakeholders. This chapter sheds light on the representations that local populations have of their territory, complex identity and on the antagonisms of development.
