Tuku Osan Masikana is a Traditional knowledge of making “masikana” coins into traditional jewelry such as “belak”, “kaibauk”, earrings, necklace, and rings. This kind of jewelry is useful in traditional ceremonies of various ethnicities in Timor-Leste. The knowledge of mixing coins with gold, bronze and silvers is actually still in practice in a neighbourhood of Maliana administrative post named Tunubibi, in the village of Memo.\n\nThe belak (Tetum, disk) is part of the traditional dress of various East Timorese ethnicities. It is a round disk, usually made of bronze, but also of gold or silver.

Tuku Osan Masikana is a Traditional knowledge of making “masikana” coins into traditional jewelry such as “belak”, “kaibauk”, earrings, necklace, and rings. This kind of jewelry is useful in traditional ceremonies of various ethnicities in Timor-Leste. The knowledge of mixing coins with gold, bronze and silvers is actually still in practice in a neighbourhood of Maliana administrative post named Tunubibi, in the village of Memo.\n\nThe belak (Tetum, disk) is part of the traditional dress of various East Timorese ethnicities. It is a round disk, usually made of bronze, but also of gold or silver.

Tuku Osan Masikana is a Traditional knowledge of making “masikana” coins into traditional jewelry such as “belak”, “kaibauk”, earrings, necklace, and rings. This kind of jewelry is useful in traditional ceremonies of various ethnicities in Timor-Leste. The knowledge of mixing coins with gold, bronze and silvers is actually still in practice in a neighbourhood of Maliana administrative post named Tunubibi, in the village of Memo.\n\nThe belak (Tetum, disk) is part of the traditional dress of various East Timorese ethnicities. It is a round disk, usually made of bronze, but also of gold or silver.

Tuku Osan Masikana is a Traditional knowledge of making “masikana” coins into traditional jewelry such as “belak”, “kaibauk”, earrings, necklace, and rings. This kind of jewelry is useful in traditional ceremonies of various ethnicities in Timor-Leste. The knowledge of mixing coins with gold, bronze and silvers is actually still in practice in a neighbourhood of Maliana administrative post named Tunubibi, in the village of Memo.\n\nThe belak (Tetum, disk) is part of the traditional dress of various East Timorese ethnicities. It is a round disk, usually made of bronze, but also of gold or silver.

In several rural communities of Timor-Leste, Tuku-Osan—meaning “iron striking” or traditional blacksmithing—remains a respected livelihood and cultural craft. Practitioners, often known as tukun-besi (blacksmiths), transform scrap metal into ritual accessories and functional tools using simple, locally made equipment: a small furnace, a bellows typically fashioned from bamboo or wood, hammers, anvils, and chisels.\n\nThis blacksmithing tradition is not just about utility but also ceremony. Items created include decorative arm rings (li’uli’u), ritual knives, and symbolic metal accessories worn during important events like weddings, funerals, and traditional dances. These artifacts often serve as markers of identity, social status, or ancestral ties.\n\nApprenticeship usually begins at home, with young boys observing and gradually assisting their fathers or uncles in forging metal. Mastery takes years and involves not only technical skill but knowledge of the symbolic meanings tied to each object. For instance, some blades or tools are believed to possess protective properties or spiritual significance, especially when used during sacred rituals or by lia-nain (custom custodians).\n\nThe process itself requires intense physical labor and patience. The blacksmith begins by heating pieces of iron until they are malleable, then striking them repeatedly on an anvil to shape them. The rhythmic clanging of hammer against metal is accompanied by puffs of smoke from the wood-fired furnace—an image that recalls generations of artisans practicing the same technique.\n\nWhile modern materials and factory tools have reduced the demand for handmade ironwork, many rural communities continue to commission traditional blacksmiths for ceremonial needs. These craftspeople are regarded as keepers of ancestral knowledge, and their work is vital to ensuring that elements of Timorese identity endure in tangible form.

This brochure introduces 14 intangible cultural heritage elements of Timor-Leste. \n\nThe publication is a result of a cooperative project between the Timor-Leste National Commission for UNESCO and ICHCAP.

This brochure introduces 14 intangible cultural heritage elements of Timor-Leste.\n\nThe publication is a result of a cooperative project between the Timor-Leste National Commission for UNESCO and ICHCAP.