[TimorLesteStudies] Step by step: women of East Timor - book launch Melb

[Australia-East Timor Association]

The Australia-East Timor Association invites you to a book launch of:

** STEP BY STEP: women of East Timor, stories of resistance and survival **

Edited by Jude Conway
Published by Charles Darwin University Press

Jude Conway will speak about her book at the launch.

WHEN: Thursday the 11th of November
      5.30pm for 6.00pm

WHERE: The Blue Room
       behind the former Fitzroy Uniting Church
       124 Napier St, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia
       (Enter at main gate near front of church & walk along left hand side/
        northern side of Church building)

- Free entry -

* All Welcome *

Light refreshments will be served.

AETA book stall      ETWA craft stall


About the book:

On 30th of August 1999, the East Timorese people voted overwhelmingly in a
United Nations sponsored referendum for independence from Indonesia. This
was an unbelievable win by an oppressed people. Even the most optimistic
person would never have dreamed that independence could happen so quickly
after years of struggle for a seemingly impossible cause.

This compilation provides the opportunity for thirteen outspoken East
Timorese women to tell their life stories: what it was like living in a
Portuguese colony; how they were affected by the Indonesian invasion; what
day to day life was like under the occupation or in the diaspora; how they
contributed to the resistance; and how they have adapted to the stark
contrast of independence.

The women are Céu Lopes Federer, Dulce Vitor, Maria Dias, Laura Soares
Abrantes, Cesarina Rocha, Carolina do Rosário, Mica Barreto Soares, Lucia
Lobato, Beba Sequeira, Ina Varella Bradridge, Luisa Ferreira Exposto and
Filomena Reis.

'These... are the stories of individual women, but much more than that, they
document the recent history of the world's newest nation, Timor-Leste... All
the stories are of resistance, adaptation and survival... (and) inspire
faith in the power of Timorese women to effect positive change of the kind
that will transform lives and lead Timor-Leste to a future of health,
dignity and wellbeing for all of its citizens'.
Kirsty Sword Gusmão

'My story starts in 1975 in Portuguese East Timor. At this time East Timor
in its innocence knew nothing of the ravages soon to be inflicted. It was a
sleepy little colonial island, with whitewashed buildings and drinkable
water from every tap, that everyone back then took for granted'.
Cesarina Rocha
    
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For further information contact the Australia-East Timor Association.
      
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Australia-East Timor Association (AETA)
PO Box 93
FITZROY VIC 3065
AUSTRALIA
T: 61 3 9416 2960
E: aetamel at aetamel.org