The statelett of Noimuti is actually a rather strange area that is not well populated,it is in the South East of Miomaffo, which is in North Middle Timor (itself lying in the south of this district).

Originally it was a part of Portuguese Timor and before it was said by the Portugese and the dynasty of the Portugese, an enclave of OECusse Ambeno, that it was connected by a corridor with the latter.(This was denied by Holland and the local W.-Timorese raja and chiefs.)

When Portugal changed the last parts of their realm in present day Indonesia (and kept OEcusse Ambeno enclave), Noimuti became a part of Miomaffo. In 7-8-1916, it became part of Dutch Timor,effective 7-8-1916 and the area choose to become part of Miomaffo principality 25-4-1917.

Before that the old raja from Portuguese time; Raja Don Domingus IV da Costa (1890’s until 1915) was as ruler already replaced by the Vice-Raja Fettor Koko Salem, because the sympathy of the old Raja laid to much with the Portuguese.

In the beginning, Noimuti was not a proper principality at all. It was in fact, half an area of Amanuban and half of Miomaffo that was given to the Roman Catholic Church. There, they made a sort of representative church area (a sort of a branch of the Vatican of Timor, which was at another place).

People from the surrounding areas settled there, but controlled by the local church officials.

Before 1800, a certain Prince Richardus, or Ricardus Sonbai had to flee.He was the son of Liurai Neno Sonbai alias Dom Pedro of Sonbai (Besar) and brother of the Liurai Bau. Leu Sonbai alias Alfonso Salema (ruled before 1749-1752).

He fled with his mother, Princess Petronella da Costa of OEcusse Ambeno to the east. There the people accepted him in Noimuti, where he settled, as their Raja. Some say he was also accepted as a symbolic Raja in OEcusse and maybe elsewhere too.

He also married a princess of OEcusse Ambeno. He died around 1800.They also called him Raja of OEnam which is also a name for Sonbai Empire.

Raja Dom Matheus da Costa;brother of Liurai D. Domingos III da Costa, became Raja of Noimuti. His brother ruled around 1879-1896.He had a Tongkat (Symbol of Authority) given by Portugal before 1900, which was from period of Queen Maria da Gloria of Portugal (1826-'53).

He abdicated and was succeeded by Raja D IV. After this the Raja stopped as effective ruler, he became chief in the church. The Fettor family ruled until 1940, but were not always good rulers.

From 1940-1953, the Raja dynasty was again in the limelight. Matheus V, was the effective ruler and in WW II even had more responsibilities. After WW II the Dutch came back, the Salem family became rulers of Noimuti. But, the Raja dynasty had regained some influence. Nominal Fettor (Raja for the dynasty itself) was from about 1953, Don Michael, the brother of Matheus V. Raja Don Antonius is son of Matheus V. Because the rulers are descended from a Dutch colonial official Jan de Hornay, who made his dynasty in OEcusse Ambeno, in this Raja there is also some Dutch blood. Some people tend to say, that Noimuti is now ruled by the Salem family.

The directly and originally the rule was (direct rule) divided between the families of da Costa: Noilnakan, Salem:Nolkain. Officially, the da Costa’s here are the representatives of the deceased Raja Richard Sonbai.

The present Crown Prince of Noimuti is Raja Muda Francisco da Costa, a highly educated engineer. In his younger years, the Raja was working in the Indonesian army.