Music of Timor-Leste

In the modern era, East Timorese music has been closely associated with the independence movement; for example, the band Dili Allstars released a song that became an anthem in the build-up to the referendum on independence in 2000, while the United Nations commissioned a song called "Hakotu Ba" (by Lahane) to encourage people to register to vote in the referendum.

[citation needed] East Timorese popular musicians include Teo Batiste Ximenes, who grew up in Australia and uses folk rhythms from his homeland in his music [1].

Refugee camps in Portugal mixed together East Timorese music with styles from other Portuguese colonies like Angola and Mozambique [1].

The dadir is a metal circle approximately 25 centimeters in diameter, which is struck with a wooden stick, of indefinite height and without the possibility of tuning.

The men put a scarf on their heads over which they apply kaibauk, a metal moon with applications of small tears and ears, the largest and most ornate belonging to the traditional Timorese liurai, chief or king.