In the remote highland heartland of Papua New Guinea, the ancient village of Yarra Mander stands as a symbol of cultural resilience and sacred continuity.
At the heart of this legacy are two towering elders: Malpin Angalean Tultul Arnold Etapae Lomeyari and Mrs. Ages Yangi Lalyo. Their lives, steeped in ancestral wisdom and service, illuminate the enduring spirit of the Malpin Angalean people.
A Title Earned: The Legacy of Tultul Arnold
Born around 1914, Tultul Arnold Etapae Lomeyari rose to prominence during the early days of colonial administration in the Highlands. The title “Tultul”—an” honorific bestowed by the Australian administration — recognized local leaders who served as bridges between Indigenous communities and the colonial government.
Arnold was not born into power; he earned it through his rare ability to mediate clan disputes, preserve oral histories, and maintain peace in times of conflict. Appointed Tultul in the early 1930s, he served for over five decades as a cultural anchor, educator, ceremonial leader, and protector of sacred traditions.
The Healing Wisdom of Mrs. Ages Yangi Lalyo
Alongside him stood Mrs. Ages Yangi Lalyo, born into the renowned Yangil lineage of midwives and healers. From a young age, she inherited sacred medicinal knowledge and became the region’s most trusted midwife, delivering more than 300 children under often difficult conditions. She was also a spiritual guide for women and girls, passing down the customs of tumbuna meri — ancestral womanhood.
Mrs. Lalyo’s work extended beyond healing. She offered refuge to vulnerable women, organized sacred teaching circles, and revived ancient ceremonies like Mambu Nalinyo, reawakening ancestral spirits in the younger generation.
Shared Leadership, Shared Legacy
Though not married in the legal sense, Tultul Arnold and Mrs. Lalyo formed a remarkable partnership built on mutual respect and shared purpose. While he handled legal and clan matters, she nurtured the community's physical and spiritual health. Together, they helped Yarra Mander weather the tides of modern influence and preserved its sacred identity.
During the 1980s, when external developers threatened the forest lands of Yarra Mander, both elders stood firm. Arnold famously told a group of investors, “To cut these trees is to blind our ancestors.” Their leadership inspired a new wave of environmental activism that continues today.
Defenders of Sacred Land
Yarra Mander is believed to be one of the oldest continuous settlements in the Engan Highlands — the place of origin of the Malpin ancestors. Tultul Arnold, a firewalker and spiritual reader of clouds and birds, was among the last to carry out sacred ancestral rituals. Mrs. Lalyo, meanwhile, remained the daily voice of the land, offering chants and herbal prayers to the EndaYanggali, the feminine spirit of the mountain.
A Living Legacy
In 2025, as both elders enjoy their twilight years, their legacy remains vibrantly alive. Yarra Mander has become a destination for anthropologists, environmentalists, and students of indigenous knowledge from around the world. With guidance from the elders, the next generation is now digitizing oral histories, planting native forests, and building a cultural center that will serve as a living archive of Malpin Angalean heritage.
Honoring the Firekeepers
On 24 May, a relative of Tultul Lomeyari and grandson of Mrs. Yangi Lalyo celebrated their milestone anniversary in a Catholic church in Port Moresby — a heartfelt tribute to the unbroken legacy of faith, culture, and leadership these two elders have embodied for nearly a century.
Their lives remind us that true greatness lies not in wealth or conquest, but in the sacred act of remembering who we are. As the sun rises each day over the misty ridges of Yarra Mander, the voices of Tultul Lomeyari and Mrs. Lalyo echo in the wind—calling a new generation to courage, wisdom, and a deep-rooted love for land and people.
