Uma interpretação possível das músicas “Karolina” e “Kaumeri” nas festas populares de Timor-Leste

In this article, we intend to discuss the music presented at popular festivals, particularly highlighting the analysis of the cultural expressions with which the songs Karolina and Kaumeri interact. The objective is to emphasize how music, especially in its most widespread forms, contributes to the formation of a national identity in Timor-Leste that is simultaneously singular and plural. We also intend to investigate whether the concept of “popular music” is sufficient to encompass the complexity of Timorese musical manifestations, or whether this concept needs to be revised in light of the country's historical, cultural, and spiritual specificities. Ultimately, we seek to consider music as a living language that expresses the feelings of a people and constantly reinvents itself in dialogue with its roots and contemporary challenges.