According to ethnographer Clarke Cunningham, their culture is notable for its spatial symbolism, associated with a gender dichotomy. Each cardinal direction is associated with a gender, as are different parts of a house. Sex and gender do not always line up, as an important lord is called a "female-man," and is accordingly always a man, but performs stereotypically female duties.
Their language belongs to the Timor Languages branch of Central Eastern Malayo-Polynesian Language family. For political reasons, it is now considered two separate languages, Uab Meto in Indonesian West Timor, and Baikenu in East Timor. Baikenu uses words derived from Portuguese , for example, ''obrigadu'' for "thank you", instead of the Indonesian ''terima kasih''.
- Clarke E. Cunningham, ''Atoni Borrowing Of Children: An Aspect Of Mediation'', in: Spiro, M.E. (ed.), American Ethnological Society Proceedings, Annual Spring Meeting, Seattle, 1965.
- Clarke E. Cunningham, ''Categories Of Descent Groups In A Timorese Village'', in: Oceania 37, 1966:13-21.
- Herbert W. Jardner, ''Textilien der Atoni. Variationen eines Stils in West-Timor'', unpubl. Magisterschrift, 1988,Köln.
- Herbert W. Jardner, ''Die Kuan Fatu-Chronik. Form und Kontext der mümdlichen Dichtung der Atoin Meto (Amanuban, Westtimor)'', Veröffentlichungen des Seminars für Indonesische und Südseesprachen der Unsiversität Hamburg, Band 23, Berlin und Hamburg, 1999.
- Herbert W. und Heidrun Jardner, ''Eingefangene Fäden. Textile Verzierungstechniken in West-Timor, Indonesien'', Austronesia Bd.1, herausgegeben von Rainer Carle und Peter Pink, 2., neu bearb. und erw. Aufl., Hamburg, 1995.
- Andrew R. McWilliam, ''Harvest of the nakaf: A Study of Headhunting Among the Atoni of West Timor'', B.Litt.thesis, Australian National University, 1982.
- Andrew R. McWilliam, ''Narrating the gate and the path. Place and precedence in South West Timor'', Ph.D.thesis Australian National University, 1989.
- Schulte Nordholt, H.G., ''The Political System Of The Atoni Of Timor'', Verhandelingen Koninklijk Instituut 60, 1971.
- Schulte Nordholt, H.G., ''The Symbolic Classification Of The Atoni Of Timor'', in: James J. Fox, The Flow Of Life, Essays On Eastern Indonesia, Harvard University Press, 1980:231-247.
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