’Wele Telu Batai takes its name from the three large river systems it encompasses.^[8] These three rivers flow from the Ulateina (ulate: ‘mountain’; ina: ‘mother’), a central mountainous watershed that bisects the highlands along an east west axis. The Eti River flows westward away from this central area to the sea, the Tala flows southward and the Sapalewa follows the divide for half of its course before flowing northward (see Map 1).

The traditional eastern boundaries of ’Wele Telu Batai correspond with the ancient partition of the island into Patasiwa, the ‘Group of Nine’, in West Seram, and Patalima, the ‘Group of Five’, to the east of it. This boundary was retained as the colonial administrative subdivision (onderafdeeling) for West Seram until the 20th century. ^[9] The highlanders of West Seram were black Siwa (Patasiwa Hitam), initiated in the male brotherhood of the Kakehan to which most adult men belonged. ^[10] The coastal settlers were white Siwa (Patasiwa Putih).

The Wemale and the Alune who occupy the highlands of ’Wele Telu refer to their river valleys and to the people who inhabit them as a single batai. Nowadays three administrative subdistricts, the Kecamatan of Seram Barat, Kairatu and Taniwel, correspond roughly with the traditional political divisions in these three batai, each regrouping the mountain domains and coastal settlements of a river valley. ^[11] In the highlands, most modern desa correspond to a former traditional territorial unit or domain, the hena, some of which had ritual and/or political duties in the batai of their valleys. ^[12]

Until the beginning of the 20^th century, small-scale warfare and headhunting were frequent in the mountains and on the coast and everybody lived in mutual suspicion. Yet exchanges were vital and alliances, even temporary ones, were indispensable. ^[13] Furthermore, the idea of a common origin linked to a central Mother Mountain and to a sacred cosmic banyan tree, the Nunusaku, was largely shared throughout West Seram, even among coastal newcomers. In this central Moluccan tradition, Seram is Nusa Ina the ‘Mother Island’, and Nunusaku, a giant and invisible banyan tree, stands on the Ulate Ina the ‘Mother Mountain’, of West Seram, which is the first abode of mankind and the symbolic centre of the region. ^[14] Spreading its branches to the Heaven (Lanite) and its roots into the Hearth (Tapele), Nunusaku is also the source of the three rivers, which give the area its name. The cosmic banyan is said to extend its river trunks (batai) over the area, encompassing all the people of the region. ^[15]

Periodic assemblies of elders were called Nili. These councils facilitated relationships within this heterogeneous society. This widespread institution gathered the elders of small and large units, at the level of domains (nili hena: ‘domain council’), river valleys (nili ela: ‘large assemblies’) and region (Nili ’Wele Telu Batai: the ‘Assembly of the Three Large Rivers’). ^[16] Although each small unit remained fiercely independent, these councils maintained some communication and coordination between the various coastal and highlands groups. Matters of regional interest and precedence were settled at the legislative and judicial level and later registered within the oral tradition. Thus the narrative of origin of Hena Ma’saman Uwei recalls various nili ela and bases several of its claims on decisions taken by these assemblies.