'They speak different languages but they sing together,' Timor-Leste choir arrives on South Coast

The tour, which consists of permaculturist and singer-songwriter Ego Lemos and choir Koru Lian Timor, has been performing across the Bega Valley for a series of community concerts and school visits.

Koru Lian Timor sing traditional and original songs usually in the native tongue of Timor-Leste, Tetum, while the tempo and cadence is derived from the roots of traditional rhythm, and their use of guitar and ukulele.

The choir comprises members from two communities, half from eastern/western region called Maliana, and the other half from eastern Manatuto.

"They speak different languages but they sing together. The voices complement one another," Ego said.

Leading the choir is Aju Amaral, who said his role focused on teaching songs, building the complete performance, and conducting with hand movements and facial expressions.

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"In this performance we not only use sounds but also expressions," Aju said.

"We want to perform the whole performance, not only our voice, but also our appearance, our expressions, so the whole we want to give to our audience.

"Even though it is in Tetum, with our expressions people can feel it, like a happy song."

On Friday, April 28, Ego Lemos and Koru Lian Timor performed at Lumen Christi College in Pambula to both a filled out school hall and a geography class of Year 3 and 4 students.

"Thank you so much, it was awesome," a young student said with a smile.

Principal Shane Giles said it was great to have them perform and share their music with the college, and hearing how they want to reintroduce culture to the young generations.

"It was marvelous. I walked out into the courtyard and the whole school was just filled with music of them," Mr Giles said.

"We want to see [Lumen Christi] kids in the community. And underpinning the college is this notion of service, and it has been since the very early days, and today's guests invitation is really part of that."

A performance at Four Winds on May 4 will be supported by our own Indigenous voice choir, Djinama Yilaga, an intergenerational Yuin choir, which also performed at Heart of the House at Parliament House on April 30.

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