Local Governance in Timor-Leste - Secretaria de Estado da Arte e ...

hold spiritual and ritual responsibilities as well as responsibility to lead thecommunity and resolve disputes via traditional law. However, the influence ofdemocratisation is also felt in various ways, including the ways in which traditionalideas of socio-political legitimacy are creatively interpreted in order to adapt to theoverarching governance environment. It is therefore a mistake to refer to traditionalgovernance as though it has remained unchanged and unchanging or is separate fromthe governance of the state. But neither has traditional governance been entirelysubsumed within the state. To argue along this line is to over-emphasise thepenetration of the state at the local level and ignore the importance that traditionalconcepts hold for the daily lives of people in the rural areas.Here, I consider the influence of democratisation since independence, examining howindividuals politically engage within both spheres in order to fulfil individual andcommunal needs, resulting in various forms of hybrid local leadership. Fieldworkstrongly demonstrates that there are important aspects of traditional institutions thatare supportive of democratic ideals, and which have support within communities notonly because of their spiritual importance but also because of their ability to supportregular communal political participation, something that modern forms of liberaldemocracy have to date been unable to achieve. These areas of overlap can potentiallybe expanded to make democracy more meaningful for those in the rural areas.However, areas of tension have also emerged within communities through theinteraction of modern and traditional institutions. These areas of tension tend to belocated where traditional understandings of community are threatened, challengingexisting ideas of communal loyalty and sources of human security, and pointing to thedangers inherent in pursuing a procedural vision of liberal democracy without takingdue consideration of its substantive elements.5.1 Setting The Scene: Ten Years of DemocratisationThe ongoing importance of lisan, particularly in the rural areas, has been noted by anumber of commentators and is well-recognised as an important facet ofcontemporary Timorese political, social and spiritual life (Hohe, 2002a, Hohe andNixon, 2003, Ospina and Hohe, 2001, McWilliam, 2005, Marriot, 2008). Lisan issacred, an expression of culture and worldview. It connects individuals to their110