On May 20, 2002, this former part of Indonesia also known as East Timor regained the independence it had briefly until Indonesia took over the island following Portuguese withdrawal from the territory in 1975. It was a logical choice for the new nation to adopt, as the anthem was first played upon its original declaration of independence. It remained the national anthem until the country was invaded by and incorporated into Indonesia a few days later (the Indonesian anthem was then officially used in the territory). The author of the lyrics, poet Francisco Borja da Costa, was killed in the Indonesian invasion.
The official lyrics are in Portuguese, however they have been translated into Tetum, the other official language that is native to the country. However, these lyrics seem to be just a translation and don’t appear to fit the music.