Raja Gustaf (Gia) Banunaek of Amanatun
(Installed in 1996)

                                                  
                                                  Raja Gustaf(Gia) Banunaek of Amanatun

A middle aged monarch, who has the sole surviving crown of the W.-Timor monarchs.

Lives in very simple conditions (for a city person),but also lives in local culture in a good way. The distance of this monarch and his people are not far.

The son of his predecessor is a claimant of the Raja title, but it is also one of his good friends. Harmony is a very important aspect in Amanatun life.

Some people have some fear of the isolated and 'warrior-like" Amanatun people, but if you respect the local people and their leaders in a good way, you will have  a very good time there. Amanatun is also known for its very fine nature and villages lying in very nice areas.

His first wife; Ratu Muda Katherina Hala; died in 1960, his 2nd wife Ratu Muda Neeltje Kase Un died in 1981.She was of Chinese descent (Wunku Moi).His 3rd wife is Ratu Fience Nitbani from an important local nobility family. His oldest son is Alexander Banunaek.The Raja is a pensioned official of the local department of agriculture (Amanatun has a typical agricultural economy.).

For this monarch honesty is an important principle.

Together with Amfoan it is the most isolated, so traditional areas of the Atoni piece of W.-Timor(the rest of W.-Timor) is occupied by the Belu in the east and the remains of the pure Helong people in the extreme western tip of W.-Timor and the nearby lying island of Semau.

As a good monarch Raja Gustaf (his people only know him as Raja Gia Banunaek) Banunaek knows much about the local history and culture of his area.