Wehali

History

In the ritual status stood over the Liurai in the hierarchy of the Wehale Maromak Oan (the child of God). During the Liurai embodied the masculine and active page, set the Maromak Oan ( symbolically ) the female and Inactive dar. According to legend, the Maromak Oan had three sons: Liurai (such as " out of the earth excellent" ), and the Sonba'i ancestors of the ruler of Likusaen (now Liquiçá ) were. Sonba'i prevailed in West Timor, the Portuguese named the Servião, the Dutch Zerviaen or Sorbian. Liurai founded Wehale in the center of the Island and the East was dominated by Likusaen. Other stories mention Luca instead Likusaen as the third Reich.

The core of the Wehale Empire were members of the Tetum people and its capital Laran on the present territory of West Timor. Laran was also the spiritual center of the whole island. Around its core Wehale had built a complex system of alliances through rituals, marriage and trade, which was carried by the tribes of the ethnic groups of Tetum, Bunak and Kemak. Along with the eastern part of the island called the Portuguese this area Belu (also Belus or Behale ). The Dutch called the East as Tetum, since their language was there at that time used as a lingua franca.

A member of the Magellan expedition, Antonio Pigafetta, Timor briefly visited in 1522, he reported from four main kings of Timor. Oibich, Lichisana, Suai and Canabaza, who were brothers. Oibich was the captain of the four. Oibich could be assigned to Wewiku, which is referred to in later sources as a base Wehales. Suai is the capital of present-day East Timorese district of Cova Lima and formed probably with Kamenasa ( Canabaza, also Camenaça, Came Aces) a double kingdom. Lichisana is equated with Liquiçá. All these kingdoms had similar structures of domination and were in the area of Belu. Shortly thereafter, the expansion of the Portuguese influence on the island began.

With the arrival of the Dutch in Timor in 1640, the political division of the island began. On May 26, 1641 Portuguese commander Francisco Fernandes defeated a force of Liurais of Wehale on the border with Mena. The Portuguese then began under Fernandes with a large-scale military action to extend its control over the island's interior. Was justified this approach to the protection of Christianized rulers of the coastal region. The preceding Christianization supported the Portuguese in their fast and brutal victory because their influence had already weakened the resistance to the Timorese. Fernandes led the campaign through with only 90 Portuguese musketeers. But he was supported by many Timorese warriors. Fernandes first moved through the area and captured by Sonba'i to 1642, the Kingdom Wehale, which was considered a religious and political center of the island. Members of the royal family Wehales fled to the east and married there in a ruling families. Many noble families therefore claim even today their descent from Wehale, even if it is very questionable in some cases. Later sources report only sparse of Wehale. 1665 da Costa was taken again by the Topasse Mateus and sold its inhabitants into slavery. In the early 18th century Portuguese reports Wehale appears repeatedly without one ascribes great importance to him.

When in 1749 a Portuguese attack on the Dutch Kupang ended in disaster, broke the Portuguese rule together in West Timor. Much of the regional rulers of West Timor in 1756 concluded agreements with the Dutch East India Company. Including a Jacinto Correa, King of Wewiku - Wehale and Grand Duke of Belu, who signed the Treaty of dubious Paravicini also on behalf of many areas in central Timor. This included Dirma, Lakekun, Samoro, Fatulete, Letisoli, Batuboro, Lanqueiro, Suai, Atsabe, Reimeia, Diribate, Maroba, Liďák, Jenilu, Sukunaba, Biboki and Insana and also the sphere of influence Wehales: Wewiku, Manufahi, Tiris, Alas, Luca, Viqueque, Corara and Banibani. Fortunately, the Portuguese Wehale was no longer powerful enough to pull the local rulers on the side of the Dutch. Thus, the eastern former vassals Wehales remained under the flag of Portugal, while Wehale itself fell under Dutch rule. In 1906 the area of Wehale was finally integrated into the colonial structure of the Dutch, the local rulers remained. He was called the fetor (from the Portuguese feitor for tenants ) or beads (from the Portuguese coronel for Colonel ). A cultural- spiritual meaning Wehales for Timor was still preserved. As 1924 Nai Bot, the Great Prince of Wehale died, there was the whole of Timor condolences.