Malaita Province

Ethnicity

The people of the main island are of Melanesian ethnicity. The outer islands of Ontong Java and Sikaiana are of a Polynesian ethnicity and are recognised as Polynesian outliers of Polynesian culture.

Traditional practices

Malaitan shell-money, manufactured in the Langa Langa Lagoon, is the traditional currency used in Malaita and throughout the Solomon Islands. The money consists of small polished shell disks which are drilled and placed on strings. It can be used as payment for bride price, funeral feasts and compensation, with the shell-money having a cash equivalent value. It is also worn as an adornment and status symbol. The standard unit, known as the tafuliae, is several strands 1.5 m in length. The shell money is still produced by the people of Langa Langa Lagoon, but much is inherited, from father to son, and the old traditional strings are now rare.

The violation of cultural taboos and practices as well as causing personal offence is considered a cultural affront. Malaita culture calls for the exchange of valuables to ease and resolve the alienation that may thus arise. This is called fa abua or fa okae (compensation).

Reef Islands

The people of Langa Langa Lagoon and Lau Lagoon in Malaita, Solomon Islands built about 60 artificial islands on the reef including Funaafou, Foueda, Sulufou, Saua, Ferasubua and Adagege.

The inhabitants of these lagoons call themselves wane i asi 'sea people' as distinct from wane i tolo 'inland people' who live in the interior of the island. There was a history of conflict between the bush people and the salt-water people. The people of Lau Lagoon build islands on the reef as these provided protection against attack. These islands were formed literally one rock at a time. A family would take their canoe out to the reef which protects the lagoon and then dive for rocks, bring them to the surface and then return to the selected site and drop the rocks into the water. Living on the reef was also healthier as the mosquitoes, which infested the coastal swamps, were not found on the reef islands. The Lau people continue to live on the reef islands.

Administrative divisions

Malaita Province is sub-divided into the following constituencies (or electoral districts), which are further sub-divided into wards (with populations at the 2009 and 2019 Censuses respectively):

Islands

• Adagege
• Alite
• Anuta Paina
• Faore
• Ferasubua
• Foueda
• Funaafou
• Laulasi
• Maana'omba
• Malaita
• Matuavi
• Maramasike (South Malaita)
• Mbasakana
• Ndai
• Ontong Java
• Saua
• Sikaiana
• Sulufou
• Tehaolei

Notes

Footnotes

References

• Roger Keesing, Kwaio Religion: The Living and the Dead in a Solomon Island Society. New York: Columbia University Press, 1982.
• Roger M. Keesing and Peter Corris. Lightning Meets the West Wind: The Malaita Massacre. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1980.
• Janet Kent. The Solomon Islands. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 1972.
• James Page, 'Education and Acculturation on Malaita: An Ethnography of Intraethnic and Interethnic Affinities'.The Journal of Intercultural Studies. 1988. #15/16:74-81; available on-line at http://eprints.qut.edu.au/archive/00003566/.
• Ples Blong Iumi: Solomon Islands: The Past Four Thousand Years. Honiara: University of the South Pacific, 1989.
• Harold M. Ross. Baegu: Social and Ecological Organization in Malaita, Solomon Islands. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1973.

References

1. "Malaita Island". Solomon Islands Historical Encyclopaedia 1893-1978.
2. (1999). "South Pacific Handbook". Moon South Pacific.
3. ''Commonwealth and Colonial Law'' by [[Kenneth Roberts-Wray]], London, Stevens, 1966. P. 897
4. "Auki". Solomon Islands Historical Encyclopaedia 1893-1978.
5. [http://www.matthewprowse.com/mprowse90/malaitaland-feat-langa-langa-lagoon Matthew Prowse blog] {{Webarchive. link. (2 April 2015 . 18 June 2014. Retrieved on 22 March 2015.)
6. Pei-yi Guo. (1 January 2006). ""Making Money": Objects, Productions, and Performances of Shell Money Manufacture in Langalanga, Solomon Island". The Frontiers of Southeast Asia and Pacific Studies.
7. "Historical Photographs of Malaita". University of Queensland.
8. Akimichi, Tomoya. (2009). "Sea Tenure and Its Transformation in the Lau of North Malaita, Solomon Island". South Pacific Study Vol. 12, No. 1, 1991.
9. (1992). "The ecological aspect of Lau (Solomon Islands) ethnoichthyology". 87 (4) Journal of the Polynesian Society.
10. "2009 Census Bulletin".