Located toward the back of Lalakam hamlet was Zilio's household. Headed by her father Rau and mother Aniodun, Zilio lived there with her sister Elizabeth and classificatory daughter Darmas. During most of 1998, Zilio's brother Peter and her sister Mangris, Darmas's mother, were living elsewhere in Lihir. For much of that year Zilio's yamung, Thomas, came and went from the household to his home on Malie island. He and Zilio married some years later, but in 1998 a relationship between the two was not apparent.

Of the two houses belonging to this household, one was located at ground level with split bamboo walls and sago leaf roofing, understood to be traditional in design, and was the sleeping quarters for Aniodun and Rau. The other was more haphazard in construction, with a corrugated iron roof, and was the sleeping quarters for the young people of the household. Located outside the second house was a bamboo sitting bench, often piled high with newly washed saucepans, and the site of many late night conversations, laughter and the consumption of food by household members and visitors (wasir), including myself.

Rau was a senior member of Nawus clan, while Aniodun and her children were Njol. Their household was located on Nawus land of the Masnahuo lineage, and their carefully tended gardens were located atop the plateau mostly on Nawus land, neighbouring those of Rau's brother Taruh and of the children of his deceased sister Lomuet. All members of the household nurtured these gardens, using them for family consumption as well as for contributions to feasts.