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Manage No, Sortation, Country, Writer ,Date, Copyright Manage No EE00002312 Country Timor-Leste ICH Domain Others Year of Designation 2013
| Description | Tein Masin is an ancestral legacy that is inherited from generation to generation until today practiced in general by coastal population. Salt production can still be found in some coastal communities along the north coast of Timor-Leste from the municipality of bobonaro to the municipality of Lautem. With emphasis on the administrative post of Atabae-Bobonaro, Loes and Tibar-Liquica municipality, Manatatu municipality, and Laga in Baucau municipality. |
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Keyword
Information source
Timor-Leste National Commission for UNESCO
Materials related to
Photos
더보기-
PI00008509
Tein-Masin (Salt-Production)
The women are transporting the salty, dried sediment in sacks
Timor-Leste -
PI00008513
Tein-Masin (Salt-Production)
The dripping water is channeled into buckets and jars, ready for the next cooking session
Timor-Leste -
PI00008515
Tein-Masin (Salt-Production)
Filtered water, stored in buckets and pots, is poured into the container for cooking
Timor-Leste -
PI00008519
Tein-Masin (Salt-Production)
Salt water is going through the process of becoming salt
Timor-Leste
Videos
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VI00000829
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Timor-Leste, Uma Lulik and Tais
15 December 2021: Sixteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage approved the inscription of Tais on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. As the first inscription of Timor-Leste’s ICH element to the list, ICHCAP has been requested by the UNESCO Jakarta Office for cooperation projects on the transmission and promotion of Timor-Leste’s ICH and plans to cooperate with local NGOs and plan possible projects. Safeguarding and promoting these rich cultures need research, publication and production. Moreover, as general masses could be reached through audio-visual production to promote and safeguard these cultures, academically arranged narratives processed into visual presentations such as documentary productions are crucial and timely. This informational and promotional material development project adds continued value to the Timor-Leste National Commission for UNESCO’s work with the National ICH committee that undertakes to nominate the element (Tais) to the Urgent Safeguarding List with the international assistant. Timor-Leste National Commission for UNESCO agrees to employ Merkurius Yung with the position of Director of CEVNAG Production Film in accordance with the terms set out in the Term of Reference (ToR). In this position, the Director of CEVNAG Production Film, as well as a consultant, reported to Timor-Leste National Commission for UNESCO on 2 (two) items such as video production for Tais and Uma Lulik, and 14 (fourteen) elements of the Inventory Booklet project. The process sites cover the municipalities such as Baucau, Bobonaro, Covalima, Ermera, Lautem and Oecusse. (ICHCAP has the original file)
25:12
Timor-Leste 2022 -
VI00001318
Tein-Masin (Salt Production)
Along the coastal regions of Timor-Leste, especially in areas where seawater meets fertile land, communities have preserved a unique tradition known as Tein-Masin—the age-old practice of salt making. More than just a method for producing seasoning, this practice reflects generations of local knowledge, environmental adaptation, and cultural ritual. The process begins with the careful selection of salty earth, which is usually dug from the beach or coastal swamps. This salt-rich soil is placed into large woven baskets or wooden containers and then carefully filtered using fresh water collected from nearby springs. The resulting brine is collected in clay pots or metal vessels and then boiled over a wood fire for hours—sometimes days—until only fine salt crystals remain. Salt production is typically carried out by women and elders who have mastered the delicate timing and techniques required for successful extraction. Every step—from gathering the earth to managing the fire’s intensity—demands attention, patience, and experience. It is common to see family members working together, with children helping to fetch water or gather firewood, making it both a household activity and a community effort. Before the salt-making begins, it is customary to conduct a ritual led by a lia-nain (traditional spiritual leader) or elder. An animal, often a chicken, is sacrificed and its blood is offered to local spirits as a request for protection and success. This ritual underscores the belief that nature’s resources must be treated with respect, and that balance between human needs and the environment must be maintained. Salt produced through Tein-Masin is more than a culinary product—it is a symbol of cultural resilience and a vital part of local economies. It is exchanged in traditional markets, used in rituals, and stored as a valuable household good. In times of hardship or isolation, it has even served as a form of currency. Today, while industrial salt is widely available, many communities still choose to practice Tein-Masin, valuing not only the quality of the hand-made salt but also the cultural meaning embedded in its production. Yet, challenges remain: the practice is labor-intensive and yields are modest, and younger generations are increasingly drawn away by urban migration and modern lifestyles. Preserving Tein-Masin means more than protecting a traditional technique—it means safeguarding a way of life shaped by harmony with nature, intergenerational collaboration, and deep spiritual connection to the land and sea.
5:45
Timor-Leste 2024
