Tofor
Encyclopedia
Tofor-kon Tete Rengrengmal (c.1918-December 1999) was a Vanuatan
chief.
's family. Tofor's father, Tainmal was the highest level chief the island ever had in its history.
Tofor's childhood was difficult. As teenager, he was recognised as one of the strongest and most powerful men in his area. As a consequence the Chief, Tainmal, recruited him as his personal bodyguard and conferred upon Tofor the status and trappings attendant with that position.
During the Second World War, Tofor fought for the Allies. He was trained by United States soldiers for several months and saw active service in the Solomon Islands
.
Chief Tofor found himself in dispute with French
and English
authorities because of his alleged complicity in a number of killings. Given that all witnesses attested that Tofor had brought about these deaths by means of sorcery it proved impossible for the authorities to bring a prosecution against him due to lack of evidence
When Chief Bule Tainmal died in 1972, Tofor had reached the Meleun Getlam rank only. He held the death-ceremony and paid his Mal rank the same day.
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
chief.
Biography
He was the first born of one of the most influential families in North Ambrym. His family were famous for their proficiency with magic and sorcery. The entire population of Vanuatu had the highest regard for this WanmelbuWanmelbu
Wanmelbu is the first known ancestor of the Fanla commuity in North Ambrym, Vanuatu. He's from the western part of the island, in the area of Ranbeteon. He left his family & got lost in the sea. The young man finally reached the Linbul shore and befriended the local families.Chief Molbu, owner of...
's family. Tofor's father, Tainmal was the highest level chief the island ever had in its history.
Tofor's childhood was difficult. As teenager, he was recognised as one of the strongest and most powerful men in his area. As a consequence the Chief, Tainmal, recruited him as his personal bodyguard and conferred upon Tofor the status and trappings attendant with that position.
During the Second World War, Tofor fought for the Allies. He was trained by United States soldiers for several months and saw active service in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
.
Chief Tofor found himself in dispute with French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
authorities because of his alleged complicity in a number of killings. Given that all witnesses attested that Tofor had brought about these deaths by means of sorcery it proved impossible for the authorities to bring a prosecution against him due to lack of evidence
When Chief Bule Tainmal died in 1972, Tofor had reached the Meleun Getlam rank only. He held the death-ceremony and paid his Mal rank the same day.