Konemane

Konemane is a small tribe located at Yambuli just west of Mulitaka. There is no origin tradition associated with Konemane other than that their ancestor was born from an aunt at Yambuli. Konemane had one son, Tauni, who in turn had a son named Laioe. Laioe had two wives, the first of whom was from the Pumane tribe at Waimalama (Tumundane). She had three sons: Kendo, Wingipi and Sambeame. The second wife was from the Lyalama area and had one son, Keonale. The descendants of the first three sons remained at Yambuli, and the sons of Keonale returned to their mother’s place at Lyalama.

We were not able to obtain much more of Konemane history nor to find links between Konemane and surrounding groups, although Konemane elders interviewed, were very knowledgeable on other matters such as the origin of sacred objects for Sangai ceremonies and Kepele rituals. Konemane maintained its original areas of land but did not grow to the extent that its clans or sub-clans had to move north seeking new land, as was the case for many other groups in the area. Today all Konemane clans remain clustered in the Mulitaka area.

Konemane established its Kepele ceremonies at Imaka below Tambili. Tauni, Konemane’s son, is said to be the first man in the area to make the yupini wicker basket figures used in the Kepele ancestral cult to represent the male ancestors. Konemane held Sangai bachelors’ cults, obtaining its sacred objects and incantations from the Pumane tribe at Waimalama.

Konemane clans and locations