Man wearing a Kaibauk in Ermera, East Timor


Some of this article is translated from the existing German Wikipedia article at de:Kaibauk; see its history for attribution.

The Kaibauk is a type of headdress worn by the Timorese liurai. Traditionally made of silver, it is shaped like the horns of a water buffalo.

Symbolism

The buffalo horns are a widely used symbol in the cultures of Timor-Leste, both on the Kaibauk and on the roofs of traditional sacred houses (uma lulik in Tetun). They represent strength, security and protection.[1]

The counterpart to the Kaibauk is the Belak, a round bronze disc that is worn on the chest. It represents the moon and symbolises peace, prosperity and fertility.[1]

Kaibauk and Belak are meant to complement each other, their combination bringing harmony and balance.[1][2]

While the Kaibauk is often associated with masculine power, and the Belak is often associated with feminine power, they can be worn by people of both genders.[3]

Man wearing a Kaibauk and Belak in Ermera

Uses

The Kaibauk is used on the obverse of all Timor-Leste centavo coins.[4] It is often represented on Timorese heraldry, and can be found on the flags of several political parties, such has KOTA, PDRT, PPT, UDT and UNDERTIM.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Trindade, Josh. "Lulik: The Core of Timorese Values".
  2. ↑ Kingsbury, Damien (1 January 2009). "National identity in Timor-Leste : a brief comparative study". Proceedings of the Understanding Timor-Lewste Conference: 139–145.
  3. ↑ "Uma Lulik in Estado". 1 July 2009.
  4. ↑ Banking and Payments Authority of East Timor's Public Instruction Number 01/2004 Concerning the Issuance and Use of Coins in Timor-Leste Archived 2009-09-30 at the Wayback Machine


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