Hauteas and spirituality among indigenous Timorese: A photovoice study

Abstract

The Hauteas is a branched wooden structure considered sacred by indigenous Timorese. This qualitative study aimed to discover how indigenous Timorese people perceive hauteas and spirituality. Its purpose is to preserve cultural beliefs and to gain a better understanding of indigenous views of spirituality. The study used a slightly modified photovoice method to capture the experience and knowledge of participants. Ten participants are involved, including cultural elders, village leaders, and young people. The results of a thematic analysis show that hauteas is regarded as a cultural symbol with transcendental, environmental, and social functions. These functions and their implications for indigenous Timorese are discussed further in this article.