Manatuto Municipality

Bernardo Lopes | Mayor of Manatuto municipality

"If we continue to roam, with no strength to enforce the law right at the beginning of our independence, by the time corruption develops deep roots it will be most difficult to combat it"

Bernardo Lopes, kaben-nain, moris iha Barique, munisípiu Manatuto iha loron 20 de setembro de 1955, hela fatin actual suku Aiteas, posto administrativu Manatuto vila. Iha tinan 1965-1968 hala’o estudu 1a – 3a classe iha eskola primaria barique, 1969-1970 kontinua 4a iha eskola primaria Nuno Alves Pereira Soibada. Depois de finaliza estudo iha edukasaun formal iha 1971-1972 hasai formação profissional de Monitor de Postu Escolar iha Repartição dos Serviços da Educação/ Colegio de Balide. No iha 1972-1975 hetan oportunidade servisu nu’udar Encarregador Posto Escolar Guruçá, Quelicai, Baucau. Iha tempu resistensia faz parte mos iha Carreira de Resistencia durante invação 24 anos mak hanesan; Politica iha 1974-1976 asume kna’ar nu’udar Sub-Delegado ASDT suco Gurucà, Delegado da FRETILIN suco Gurucà no Vice-Secretàrio da Zona 03/Barique. Frente Armada 1975-1978 Serbisu hanesan hanesan Forsa Popular da Inssureição Armada, Falentil ( Força Armadas da Libertação Nacional de Timor-Leste), Komandante Pelotão da 1a compania da Zona 03 Barique, Assistenti da Unidade Logistica DDN, Comandante da Unidade do Centro Reabilificação Nacional do Departemento da Defeza Nacional ( DDN), Delegado Politica das Companhia Sektores de 144 514 do Comissaríado Sector Centro Leste no Comandante Pelotão 4 da 2a compania kda Brigada de Choque Sector Centro Leste.

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1. Geography

Manatuto is one of the 12 Municipalities of Timor-Leste, located in the central part of Timor. It shares borders with the Municipalities of Baucau and Viqueque (east), Ainaro (west), Aileu (north) and is bordered by the Timor Sea (south). It has six Administrative Posts: Natarbora, Soibada, Laclubar, Manatuto, Laclo and Laleia, which together regroup 31 sucos.
In term of demography, Manatuto has a total population of 48,876 (Census 2015 – projection for 2019) and a population density of 27.36 pp/km2 for an area of 1,785.95 km2. Tetun, Galoli, Idate Habun and Dadua are the main local languages.

2. Toponymy

Like other Municipalities, the name of Manufahi Municipality has its own history. It is composed of two words: Mana and Tutu. According to the story, in the old times there were two groups of people living there, one was called Sau Raha (Soraha) and the other group Sau Lor (present day Saulidun). Sau Raga lived in the Soraha mountain, while Sai Lor lived in Sauhuhun mountain. They each had a king, and the two kings were brothers.

3. History

Historically, before the arrival of the Portuguese, Manatuto was ruled by different traditional authorities. In 1698, Portugal established its authority through Governor António Coelho Guerreiro, and started intervening on Timor’s internal politics, including in Manatuto. On April 20 1859, Governor Afonso de Castro established 11 Districts. Manatuto became a separate district, with its capital in Manatuto Vila, and bringing together the kingdoms of Bubur-Susso, Kablaqui, Fulau, Faturo and Turiscai. After World War II, Governor Oscar Ruas turned Manatuto the district into a Civil Circumscription composed of Barique, Fatuberlihu, Laclo, Laclubar no Laleia. Manatuto kept the same structure during the Indonesian occupation, and became a Municipality after independence.

4. Climate

In term of climate, Manatuto Municipality has rain on average twice a week between May and June, and almost daily from November to April. From August to October, the weather is dry and hot, and temperatures going up to 38°C.

5. Points of interest

Points of Interest in Manatuto include Cribas Waterfall and the Church of Laklubar. The Municipality is also known for a yearly celebration happening at the time of shrimp harvesting, named suru boek dance. Local traditional food included Balisaun, a dish of salted baby shrimps harvested once a year.