''Some of this article is translated from the existing German Wikipedia article at :de:Kaibauk; see its history for attribution.'' The Kaibauk is a type of headdress worn by the

Timorese Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, in the north of the Timor Sea. The island is divided between the sovereign states of East Timor on the eastern part and Indonesia on the western part. The Indonesian part, also ...

liurai Liurai is a ruler's title on Timor. The word is Tetun and literally means "surpassing the earth". It is originally associated with Wehali, a ritually central kingdom situated at the south coast of Central Timor (now included in Indonesia). The sa ...

. Traditionally made of silver, it is shaped like the horns of a

water buffalo The water buffalo (''Bubalus bubalis''), also called the domestic water buffalo or Asian water buffalo, is a large bovid originating in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Today, it is also found in Europe, Australia, North America, So ...

Symbolism

The buffalo horns are a widely used symbol in the cultures of

Timor-Leste East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-weste ...

, both on the Kaibauk and on the roofs of traditional sacred houses (''uma lulik'' in Tetun). They represent strength, security and protection. The counterpart to the Kaibauk is the Belak, a round bronze disc that is worn on the chest. It represents the moon and symbolises peace, prosperity and fertility. Kaibauk and Belak are meant to complement each other, their combination bringing harmony and balance. While the Kaibauk is often associated with masculine power, and the Belak is often associated with feminine power, they can be worn by people of both genders. Uma Lulik in Estado 4

Uses

The Kaibauk is used on the obverse of all Timor-Leste centavo coins.Banking and Payments Authority of East Timor's ''Public Instruction Number 01/2004 Concerning the Issuance and Use of Coins in Timor-Leste'

It is often represented on Timorese heraldry, and can be found on the flags of several political parties, such has KOTA, PDRT, PPT, UDT and UNDERTIM.

References

{{Culture of Asia East Timorese culture