Because of the troubled history and present-day situation of Tinilapini and Pumalini, it was difficult to get information on their earlier histories while in the Lai valley. Many of their knowledgeable elders have been killed in recent fighting and those who remained were reluctant to discuss any issues that might have bearing on land disputes. For these reasons, we can only give a brief outline of Tinilapini and Pumalini history.
At the time of their origin traditions, Pumalini and Tinilapini occupied land on the north side of the Lai River from the Wee creek west of Biripa to approximately Akoma near Pina. Although some elders claimed not to know the father of Tinilapini and Pumalini, others said that they were the sons of Yanange, the brother of Lungupini and the nephew of Yandamani. Some association of this nature is likely as Lungupini also traces its origins to the Pina area.
Across the Lai River from Tinilapini and Pumalini were the clans of the Lyongeni tribe including Waingini who later migrated to Kompiam. Because these groups were displaced early in their history, we could not establish any direct connection between Lyongeni and Tinilapini and Pumalini, other than that they were closely associated with one another. For example, when Sikini drove Lyongeni out of Pina, it first took refuge with Tinilapini and then moved on to Kompiam.
Early in Tinilapini and Pumalini oral history, migrations of surrounding tribes from the east, west, and south converged on the Pina and Biripa region. Causes of these migrations ranged from the desire to obtain fertile land to disputes over trade and exchange. Tinilapini and Pumalini were displaced repeatedly by these larger groups and troubled by internal conflicts as well. First, Depe and Lyipini who were settled at Yopoposa near the headwaters of the Aiyele river, fought their way down into the valley to take the frost-free land at Biripa station, pushing Pumalini further to the east. Tinilapini clans at Wee came into conflict with Lyipini clans. Around the same time, clans of the Kandawalini tribe moved from Wapenamanda westward down the Lai to settle near Pina and Akoma after a quarrel with their brother tribe Yakumani in the Wapenamanda area. Finally, trouble flared up in the Saka and the Aiamane tribe was driven out of the Saka to Pina where it remained temporarily before moving on to Kompiam.
After Aiamane left the Tsaka valley, another serious fight in the Tsaka drove Sikini clans across the ridge between the Lai and the Tsaka into the Pina area. From there, with the help of Kandawalini clans, Sikini chased Lyongeni and Waingini to Kompiam. They also pushed Pumalini northeastward in the Lai valley.
After some generations of conflict, other sub-clans of Tinilapini moved to Kompiam before trouble could erupt. One of these instances is recorded in the following tradition:
Tinilapini was at his men’s house at Pindaposa when clans from the Kandawalini tribe came and settled nearby. Wapukini settled near Akoma and Ambulyini at Pongenale. One day Tinilapini went to Wapukini and said,
“I have shot and lost my three-pronged arrow, and I would like to have a funeral feast for it.” Then he requested that Wapukini give him a pig for the feast. Wapukini went to his garden and brought him a bunch of minjo cooking bananas instead. Then Tinilapini went to Ambulyini and asked him for a pig. Ambulyini gave him a red pig. Tinilapini took the pig home, slaughtered it and held a funeral feast for his arrow. He then gave his land (Pindaposa) to Ambulyini Taoaletimbu and left for the Kompiam area. He named his new land in Kompiam Pindaposa after his homeland Pindaposa in the Lai Valley. Later Ambulyini found that Tinilapini had not lost his arrow but had shot a wallaby and left the arrow and animal in a rock shelter.”
(Watao Piakuia, Ambulyini clan, Yaibosa)
Although its meaning is open to interpretation, one reading of this tradition is that, squeezed from three sides (the three-pronged arrow), some Tinilapini sub-clans realized that stronger neighbors from the Kandawalini tribe were moving in closer and closer to their land and that it was wiser for them to give up their land willingly (the funeral for the arrow) and create exchange ties (the pig) than to be driven out of their land in battle. Today Tinilapini groups are found in the Lai Valley and Kompiam area. Pumalini is widely dispersed after decades of tribal fighting.
members interviewed
Pumalini and Tinilapini
- Mambito Mai, Kaina Mambito, and Lenge Lalena of the Pumalini Lakaoane clan, Yaibosa.
- Councillor Itaki Wandakone and Elyata Nenge of Tinilapini at Wee in the Lai valley,
- Kambu Puanja of Tinilapini, Laiakama, Kompiam,
- Yamatae Supa of Tinilapini, Lyaposa.
CLANS AND LOCATIONS
Tinilapini
| Clan | Location | Nearest school/aidpost |
|---|---|---|
| Kiningi | Tialama | Yaibosa/Birip |
| Angi | Wee | Yaibosa/Birip |
| Itasi | Laiakama | Kompiam |
| Laletepa | Laiakama | Kompiam |
Pumalini
| Clan | Location | Nearest school/aidpost |
|---|---|---|
| Lakaoane | Waimaka | Yaibos |
| Kandanokini | Pakau | Yaibos |
| Yangomina | Wakutape | Yaibos |
| Waingilo | Elyopinimale | Yaibos |
*Most of the Itasi and Laletepa clans of Tinilapini moved to Kompiam and most of Angi and Kiningii stayed in the Lai although there are some segments of the latter two in Kompiam as well.