The VOC had a post in Kupang in the far west since 1653 and was engaged in warfare with Portugal, whose dominions included Larantuka on Flores and Lifau on the north coast of Timor.
Part of the conflict was rivalry over the white sandalwood (santalum album), a precious item that grew in certain quantities on Timor.
After a series of defeats at the hands of the Portuguese from 1657 to 1658, a part of the Sonbai congregation migrated to the Dutch stronghold in Kupang together with another VOC-allied group, Amabi.
These five congregations posed as loyal allies to the VOC, while the rest of Timor largely fell under the influence of the Portuguese Eurasians or Topasses.
In the Timorese political tradition, however, he was a non-active, in a symbolic sense "female" (feto) figure who was not expected to handle the actual affairs of the princedom.
[4] In the early years of the 20th century, the Dutch implemented a real colonial rule in West Timor, and shortly after this they rationalized local governance in Kupang.
In 1917, Sonbai Kecil, Amabi, Amabi-Oefetto, Kupang-Helong, Taebenu and Funai were merged into a larger self-ruling territory (zelfbesturend landschap) called Kupang (not including the town itself).
In 1955, the raja rule ended in Kupang, and the Nisnoni family withdrew to the role of adat (customary) leaders and local government officials.