Anexo N° 01 Cuadernillo del Test de Personalidad 16 PF INSTRUCCIONES

The use and promotion of national symbols is another marker of national identity. Baron (1997) and Hobsbawm (1992) note the construction of national identity depends also and appears in the use of public symbols incorporated into daily life.

In Timor-Leste the salience of national symbols has never been explored in depth or through an open public debate that sought to delve into the matter to try and determine which symbols the Timoroan see as important aspects of their national identity. For the most part these, have been decided by those in power in 2002 with little regard to the reports and results of consultation processes conducted at the time.

For the purposes of this study, anthropologist Raymond Firth’s (1973) consideration of the symbol in relation to its action-setting from an instrumental point of view will be used. The author considers a symbol as a device for the enabling of abstractions with some end in view, that is, a symbol has instrumental value. Firth looks at symbols as instruments of expression, of communication, of knowledge and of control.

For the author, the instrumental nature of a symbol as a means of expression is that these can evoke powerful emotions of identification with a group and be used for group

Page | 198 action. Such symbols include the flag, the national anthem, and national dress. Symbols are also instruments of communication in that they store and transfer meaning, and can give a common reference point for a variety of ideas. Symbols are also instruments of knowledge. Finally symbols can also be instruments of control because they hold power and can be a powerful means of affecting someone else’s behaviour (Firth, 1973).

In the case of Timor-Leste, the State decided the nation would have, according to the 2002 Constitution, Article 14, the Flag, the National Emblem and the National Anthem, as the National Symbols for Timor-Leste45 (below). In 2007, Law No.2/2007 was approved, relating to the national symbols and the norms governing their display, use and performance (RDTL, 2007).

The National Flag The National Emblem

The National Anthem ‘Patria’ (Portuguese) Pátria, Pátria!

Timor-Leste, nossa Nação Glória ao Povo e aos Heróis, Da nossa libertação.

Vencemos o colonialismo, Gritamos, abaixo o imperialismo, Terra livre, Povo livre,

Não, não, não à exploração. Avante unidos,

Firmes e decididos,

Na luta contra o imperialismo, O inimigo dos Povos,

Até à vitória final,

Pelo Caminho da Revolução. Pátria, Pátria!

Timor-Leste, nossa Nação, Glória ao Povo e aos Heróis, Da nossa libertação.

The National Anthem ‘Patria’ (English) Motherland, Motherland!

Timor-Leste, our Nation,

Glory to the People and to the Heroes, Of our liberation.

We defeated colonialism,

We shout: down with imperialism! Free land, free People,

No, no, no to exploitation. United we move,

Firm and resolved,

In the struggle against imperialism, The enemy of the Peoples,

Until final victory,

On the path of the Revolution. Motherland, Motherland! Timor-Leste, our Nation,

Glory to the People and the Heroes, Of our liberation.

Figure 16: The National Symbols of Timor-Leste.

45 _{For a description of the meanings of the National Symbols of Timor-Leste visit:} http://timor-leste.gov.tl/?p=34&lang=en

Page | 199 According also to Schatz and Lavine (2007) in their review of the literature on National Symbolism, it is widely recognised national symbols are a potent source of political power and influence. National symbols are also capable of rallying support for state interests because these often evoke emotional expressions of identification with and allegiance to the national as well as of self-sacrifice.

One can generalise then the intention of the State of Timor-Leste by selecting the flag, the National Emblem and the National Anthem was to rally support of the Timoroan for state interests. Socialisation plays a big role in the elevation of these symbols to national prominence and so these can evoke emotional expressions of national identification, allegiance to the national purposes and self-sacrifice if and when needed.

And the socialisation processes involved here are usually done through routine ritualistic ceremonial activities such as for example the raising of the flag at State buildings and institutions or the lowering of the flag ceremony at 5.00 p.m. every day in front of the new Defence Building in the busiest street in the capital Dili that stops traffic and pedestrians in their tracks in both directions for the duration of the ceremony; or the singing of the national anthem at the beginning of important ceremonies; or the use of the national emblem in State stationary and in uniforms, and so forth.

The socialisation process of the National Symbols is also conducted through the national curriculum where students are required to learn the meaning of the flag and the national emblem and to sing the words of the national anthem.

National symbols promote national identification in several ways. First, by signifying the group, such symbols render the individual’s identity as a national member highly salient. Second, because a symbol is a tangible representation of the group, it provides the individual with a manifest object of identification. Group symbols thus direct the identification process and accentuate reflexive awareness of group identity.

(Schatz & Lavine, 2007, p. 332) Thus this research study, aware of the instrumentality of national symbols in the construction of national identity asked the respondents their views about which symbols represent them as Timoroan at the supra or national level. The question about which are the symbols for Timor-Leste was constructed to be very neutral in that it did not offer any clues to the National Symbols identified by the State in Article 14.

Given this research project seeks to examine Timoroan national identity, it was important to ask respondents questions about which symbols the Timoroan see as important