Page 337 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

that should be opened and explained’ with simpler words. The signs and symbols refer to
something sacred.
The sacred fact in the life of Timorese people always refers to the center and base of
something that is totally different from the usual thing. It is very different from profane
things. The right way to speak of it is using indirect language, similes or proverbs that are
only understood by selected people. The pattern of the saying is found in symbols, signs,
and myths. Myth is a symbol that is told in the form of a story, not just pictures but a series
of descriptions in a real story (Neonbasu, 2009, 2013).
The meeting of the sacred and the profane is usually appreciated by the formulation
of an understanding in the form of dual-cosmic thoughts. The facts and contexts of the
life of the Timorese people are always adorned with the dual-cosmic attributes that
systematically give meaning to the understanding of living side by side. For example, it
has been done by one area in the remote area on Timor Island, the Biboki Kingdom (Neno
Biboki // Funan Biboki, Biboki sun // Biboki moon). The spoken language of the elders
shows the condition of the kingdom that mentions Liurai-Sonbai as the existence of the
kingdom. This utterance is formed in pairs (doublets) to admit the existence of the two big
kingdoms, Liurai Wehali-Wewiku and Liurai Sonbai. Not only do these names refer to the
dual-cosmic, but also reveal the kinds of relationship which the ethnic groups, the political
communities, or the ruler have. There were also terms such as feto // mone (sister // brother,
woman // man), olif // tataf (siblings, younger // elder), mone // nanan (outside-inside) that
came out in a constructive, symbiotic, and metaphorical way to name power construction
in the life of Biboki Kingdom (Boy, 2013, Neonbasu, 1985).
The original authority of Biboki Kingdom is honored by the name Tnesi-Aluman,
T’eba-Tautpah, and ruled under an emperor titled loro (sun, matahari). The authority of
the emperor is never popular or glamorous, though. Rather, it is identified as feto (sister,
woman, passive). In reality, the active ruler is Monemnasi, which is seen as mone (brother,
man, active). But there is a socio-constructive relationship between the two, which is
feto-mone (woman-man, passive-active, outside-inside, strong-weak) in one communion.
One interesting dimension to mention is the condition of a super-ordinanate ruler, Loro
Biboki with a cabinet that is normally called Us Tetu-Us Tusala and Us Satkele-Us Po’bala
(Neonbasu, 1985).
In a traditional socio-community, these names are a legislative group, which are
representatives of the people. The construction of the names still refers to the feto // mone
(sister // brother, woman // man) and olif // tataf (younger // elder, siblings) relationship.

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