From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishheadmanhead‧man /ˈhedmæn/ noun (plural headmen /-men/) [countable] SAthe most important man in a village where a tribe lives SYN chief
Examples from the Corpus
headman• The influence of government agents and chief headmen, on the wane since 1920, declined still further.• Murrells concluded by announcing the appointment of three new headmen chosen by himself and asking if there were any complaints.• Some officials relied on the evidence of headmen; others believed that the intrigues of headmen were a major cause of crime.• Bearded, with natural dignity and quiet authority, this reserved man soon earned the position of second headman.• It now remained to be seen whether this headman would be able to hand us over to another in Bahdu.• In the area traversed, over three hundred village headmen gave up their government jobs.• Very often cattle owners negotiated with the thieves, usually through intermediaries, who were sometimes village headmen. 