Mana Gillian

In Tetun, Mana means sister. Maun means brother. Everyone who is female is your sister. Everyone who is male is your brother.


One of the conventions of Timorese conversation is to refer to people you’re talking to in the third person. Allow me to explain, with a simple dialogue.

Maria (for example) might say:   Bondia [good morning], Mana Gillian.
I say:   Bondia Mana Maria.
Maria says:  How is Mana Gillian today?
I may reply:  I am good, thank you. How are you?
Maria might say:  I am fine. Did Mana Gillian have a nice weekend?
I feel like saying:   I’m not sure. Let me just ask her ... (rabble rabble rabble)... She says she did.

It’s particularly confusing when they drop the first name all together and just use “mana” or “maun”, like this:

Jose: How is mana today?
Me: Which one?

(I don't mean to nitpick, but techically, there are approximately 750,000 people he could be referring to, given the female population of East Timor.)