Lulik: The Heart of East Timor. BBC World Service. April 2015.

A village elder at an Uma Lulik – or traditional sacred house – in preparation for a ritual near the village of Irabere in the district of Uato-Carbao, East Timor. Credit: Janak Rogers

A village elder at an Uma Lulik – or traditional sacred house – in preparation for a ritual near the village of Irabere in the district of Uato-Carbao, East Timor. Credit: Janak Rogers

The Uma Lulik are East Timorese sacred huts, and have been described as 'the centre of everything, the umbilical cord between the past and the present; for those alive, it is a secured reservoir of past memories and wisdom; for the dead, it is a timeless place, where history is constantly renewed.'

In 2002, after a long and bloody struggle, East Timor gained independence from Indonesia. Since then, the Timorese government has sought to rebuild and restore the Uma Lulik, many of which were destroyed by the Indonesians. Today East Timor remains one of the world's youngest and poorest countries, yet the Uma Lulik provide a vital cultural link with East Timor's oldest and most deeply held beliefs, and their relevance to contemporary society.

You can also listen to the piece on the BBC World Service website here.