Traditionally, Solomon Islanders believe that ancestors, although invisible, are still around. Therefore, one can invoke their help if need be or ask that their wrath or curse befall one's enemies. Animism was practiced before Christianity reached the islands.
For believers in animism, most living things have spirits and it bodes well to maintain a cordial relationship with one's ancestors and the whole ecosystem. For those who live near the coast, totem gods include sharks, octopi, and stingrays. Inland people worship crocodiles, snakes, the eagle, and the owl as deity totems. Today Christianity pervades most of the country. There is a lot of syncretism between Christian worship and traditional beliefs. People usually pray to the Christian God but use ancestors or those who have recently died as mediators.
The belief is that those who have passed on are closer to God and can "see" better. Today, 90 percent of Solomon Islanders are professed Christians. Beside Christians, there are traditional practitioners, Mormons, Muslims, and Baha'is. Religious Practitioners. Teaching and preaching are accented in churches. Healing is one of the sacraments but not the major one.
Some people in the Solomon Islands still practice traditional healing. In the Western Solomons, there are healers who can fix broken bones, massage swollen bodies, and cure aching heads. Others have the power to pull cursed objects from a victim's body by sucking them out or by sending another spirit to bring them back. Still others practice black magic. Rituals and Holy Places. In the Solomon Islands, shrines are always taboo places. These are the places where ancestral remains are kept and ancestral spirits live.
Small children are not allowed as the spirits would cause them harm. Nowadays, very few of these places have sacrifices offered as many people have become Christianized. Today, only Christian rituals are regularly practiced and performed. For example, during the Easter season the stations of the cross is performed and special prayers offered.
There are prayer walks in the night as faithful prayer warriors stage spiritual warfare against Satan and his host of angels. Death and the Afterlife. Death is as important as birth in the Solomon Islands. When people are born, there is celebration. When they die, there is festivity to mark the passing away of a life. It is believed that when people die, they merely "take the next boat" to the other world. But spirits do not go away immediately after death. They linger for a while as they find it difficult parting from their loved ones.
Then after some time, the deceased spirits move on. When there is a death, the corpse is kept above ground as long as possible. This is to allow all the Workers tying thatch onto a new house in Honiara, Guadalcanal. After the deceased is buried, people resume their normal lives. The widow or widower and close relatives then cleanse themselves and continue life again. In traditional Solomon Island society, every disease has a spiritual cause or explanation to it.
Before Western-introduced diseases, there were traditional cures for most diseases. With the introduction of Western diseases and medicine, the whole equation changed drastically. Today, the Solomon Islands is accosted in varying degrees with diseases and medical challenges like most third world countries. Lifestyle diseases—including cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes—have been blamed on dietary changes, namely the increasing dependence on imported foods such as white flour, white rice, sugar, and canned meat, as well as an increase in smoking and alcohol consumption.
Among vector-borne diseases, malaria is prevalent in the country. Despite the above, great strides have been made in the country. In the s the average life expectancy was 63 years for men and 65 years for women. The Solomon Islands has a number of secular celebrations. The first is Independence Day 7 July , which is a colorful day when most island people converge on the capital Honiara to celebrate.
Honors and medals are given to those who have done heroic and great things for the country and people. Christmas Day 25 December is always a time when families disperse from the capital and meet with their loved ones at their homes to celebrate Christ's birthday. The Christmas holiday is not only a religious holiday, but also the longest holiday of the year for most people.
New Year 1 January is the most celebrated day of each year. There is a tradition of playing a lot of games, especially water games, and competitions between villages. Support for the Arts. Artists in the Solomon Islands are mostly self-supporting. With the encouragement of tourism in the late twentieth century, many more people have taken up the arts, with the specific intention of making money from their artistic skills. Literature, both written and oral, has had a sporadic history in the Solomon Islands.
It has been seriously studied only since the s. There is a writers' association that has an open membership for all who are interested. This has encouraged both oral and written literatures.
Graphic Arts. The graphic arts are also a relatively new area promoted mostly through touristic advertisements and salesmanship. Graphic arts courses are now offered during summer semesters at the University of the South Pacific Center in Honiara. With more businesses being set up in the capital, many graphic artists have had tremendous income earnings.
Sign writing, for example, has been a big moneymaker. Performance Arts. Music has been a popular pastime in the Solomon Islands. In most of the islands, music is made to keep people together and enhance their companionship. Many Solomon Islanders are natural song composers. The Sulufou Islanders and the Fuaga Brothers are two of the more popular bands.
Drama is valued for its ability to pass on certain messages and influence decisions. Many schools have drama groups that perform historical stories, such as World War II battle tales. Since its inception, its achievements have been remarkable. SICHE's schools include industrial arts, agriculture, nursing and health studies, and education. Akin, David.
Australian Agency for International Development. Gegeo, David. Kastom and Binis: towards integrating cultural knowledge into rural development in Solomon Islands. Hogbin, Ian H. Kabutaulaka, Tarcisus. LaFranchi, Christopher. Islands Adrift? Lockwood, Victoria S. Harding, and Ben J. O'Callaghan, Mary-Lousie. O'Connor, Gulbun Coker. The Moro movement of Guadalcanal, Ph. Talu, Alaimu, and Max Quanchi, eds. Tryon, Darrell T. United Nations Development Program.
Toggle navigation. Culture Name Solomon Islander. Alternative Name Melanesia; Melanesians; Wantoks "one people," people from the Melanesian region sharing certain characteristics, especially the use of pidgin English. Solomon Islands. History and Ethnic Relations The first discoverers of the Solomon Islands were the island peoples themselves.
Urbanism, Architecture, and the Use of Space With a relatively small population and large land area, space is affordable in the Solomon Islands. Food and Economy Food in Daily Life. Social Stratification Classes and Castes. Political Life Government. Marriage, Family and Kinship Marriage. Socialization Infant Care. Etiquette In the Solomon Islands, respect for elders and women, particularly in rural areas, is a must.
Religion Religious Beliefs. Medicine and Health Care In traditional Solomon Island society, every disease has a spiritual cause or explanation to it. Secular Celebrations The Solomon Islands has a number of secular celebrations.
The Arts and Humanities Support for the Arts. Bibliography Akin, David. User Contributions: 1. I'll respect all there beliefs Tabole Ezekiel.
Not only that the article is very interesting, but it worth a great library of knowledge about the solomon Islads' past and present reflecting future awareness. Thanks to the writer.
Niki Stilwell. As a previous visitor to the Solomons in the 's I found this page useful and interesting. Thank you very much. Great stuff!! Thank you very much for whoever wrote this interesting article. I am a Solomon islander but out of the country this time. I am collecting information for my friend's project.
This page sums it all up Thanks again to the writer. Great job, writer. Great job writer, this page has helped me a great deal with my project Jay N Frank. This article helps me complete my presentation.
Lindsay peters. A very good and true artical and would be of great benefit in understanding the solomon island culture for travellers or anyone intending to visit the solomon islands.
Thankyou to the writer for researching so well. Linda Goti. Very good and interesting article to read. It helps individual Solomon Islanders to recap and reshape our identity comparing the past happenings to the recent ones.
Informed and insight article. Has cover extensive areas that one might need to know about Solomon Is. However, one important piece of information missing is the Blackbirded "slavery' in Queensland and Fiji to work on sugar plantation. The past story become a 'history' but must not be repeated. I am from Guadalcanal SI. This was very very well written.
A great explanation and painted a good picture of the islands and the people. Very easy to read and understand.
Oliver Olivagi. Thank you. This is a very well researched,concise and up-to-date information about the Solomon Islands. I think those who are new to the country would appreciate reading up on this information packed page, and will be equipped with all that they need to know as a guide before visiting the islands and or subsequent visits.
I am certain that the Islanders would be glad to know how well the writer has captured almost all aspects of this diversely united beautiful country and its people.
I am a history student, and I am going to report the Solomon Island, this page help me a lot and give me an additional information about my report. Br Johnson Ingam. I'm very grateful when reading this brief historical background of Solomon Islands and I'm very thankful for the one who wrote this. But here I comment that this is general but would try study the life of each provinces and its villages and than you can make a general over view of the Solomon Islands.
A very nice acticle. Great thanks for the arcticle and it helps me in my study of economical life style of this Island. I appreciate this because I'm from papua new guinea. Thanks and hope to see more articles coming up! This is a great page to get information about Solomon Is. If the author can include some more historical setting, bearing to the Black birding days, Early explorers, second World war and etc.
Cheers and Congrats to the author. I have a social studies project on culture of the Solomon Islands and I found this extremely helpful. Good understandable content that was very well organized and detailed. I like the labels telling me what each paragraph is about so that I can quickly find cultural things.
Overall, great website. Keep creating whoever made this:. Joe Nunua. Grace Taylor. This information was written very well. I wanted to know what language was the song and where was it from. I learned a lot. Robo Limbu. This info. Wat pilddls are being taken at this present time where Malaria is concerned??
Wat pills are being taken at this present time where Malaria is concerned?? My Grandfather is originally from Honiara Solomon Islands but resided in Samoa most of his life and married my Grandmother who was Samoan.
He and His brother's and many other young Solomon men were shipped off to Samoa many years ago to work as farmer's in Samoa, more then Solomon men including my Grandfather never returned back to the Solomon Islands. My Grandfather was only 7 when he and his brother's left there families behind. I've always wondered if my Grandfather's family back in Solomon waited for there return.
I would love to go to Solomon to see if my Grandfathers sisters are still there and find out more about what had really happened.
All the men that were shipped off to Samoa married Samoan women as a result of that my little village back in Samoa Vaitele Uta is like a mini Solomon Island most of the residents there look exactly like Solomons. I would like to find out more about this history, if anybody knows please comment back.
Very interesting and well structured Great information for me,helps me to complete our presentation base on solomon islands culture and the food.
Thnx to the author of this article. Thanks writter for the information, it helps us students with our researchs.. Olive, I am from Guadalcanal, My Grandmothers brother was shipped to Australia during those black birding days,Probably around the same time other people from Solomon Islands,especially from the Island of Guadalcanal and Malaita are forcefully shipped to Fiji and Queensland Australia to work in the sugarcane plantations.
I would guess, your Grandfather would likely be from one of the coastal villages on the Island, because thats how they are easily tricked into the pits of those terrible boats. It would be helpful if you could remember some names of places he might have mention to really pinpoint which area exactly he was from. From my Grandmothers story, there are a lot of Solomon Islanders who went to Fiji,so it is likely that some of them who went there goes on to Samoa, including your grandfather.
I hope to get to go to the solomons one day and find what area exactly your grand father is from. Ben wea. Why are some of the people have blond hair-dark skins and look very byracial. Are their decendants of Africans or White. Desinah Keza. This story is so interesting because it had mentioned some of the very important fact that the people of the Solomon Islands need to know and pass on to their next generation.
I just wander weather there was a wider research conducted on the area on what the people eat and the food preparation technique they use and what method of cooking they use. Elaine Anne. Ola, Hello, I thoroughly appreciated this presentation; my daughter read a story about a boy from these islands, so I found the history very interesting. I do wonder about medical treatment though.
What method of healing is practiced there? How many hospitals are there? Are they modern or primitively supplied? Has the USA had any initiative or role in the development of this country's endurance other than religious contribution, or was there any contribution? Are there wealthy people on your island and do they treat the people kindly? What is the condition of the island today April 11, ? Has the island resources been restored by other countries since the February 7th Tsunami?
Does Britain come to your aide quickly, or do the islanders depend on social welfare for new supplies? Lolitha Tabe. Thanks alot for the wonderful information of the country,it helps me to complete my project.
Very informative information and thanks; this will definitely be helpful with my course work. My husband and I recently lost our jobs and have always wanted to live in a third world county. How difficult is it to get a work permit and live on one of the islands?
Also what is the average monthly cost of living? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Gee Joez. Thanks for the Information greatly appreciated the Author work, really support my Assignment to be done.
Thank you for the informations, it interesting to know about my own Solomon islands. Lil Pe. This is great information thanks. I am just preparing fo rmy first trip to the SI As a married western woman - is it appropriate that I look at the SI men directly or indirectly?
By Germany agreed to cede their interests to Britain and the Solomons came entirely under British rule. In the early 20th century, several British and Australian companies began large scale coconut plantations on the islands and at around the same period missionaries arrived, converting many Solomon Islanders to Christianity.
Following the war, Honiara was made the capital using infrastructure from the war to assist with its development. In , tribal rivalries erupted into armed conflict, prompting Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific Island neighbours to step in and negotiate peace and security.
Assistance is still given today but with a new focus on community policing and sustainable development. History of the Solomons The Solomon Islands have a rich and fascinating history.
Early history There are a number of different dates and explanations about how the Solomon Islands was first settled. After many months of constant combat, the Japanese withdrew completely in early The British In , the British declared a protectorate over some of the islands in response to the German annexation of others. Archaeological evidence also shows that one group of people settled on islands from the Bismarcks to Polynesian and became the ancestry of all Polynesians, some eventually returning to the outlying islands of Solomon Islands.
The first documented European contact was made in by the Spanish explorer, Alvaro de Mendana. After Mendana died of malaria the Spanish presence ended around In the islands became a British protectorate and were officially known as British Solomon Islands Protectorate.
In March the Japanese had moved into the Shortland Islands after capturing the administrative capital of New Guinea.
The British had fleed Tulagi, the then capital located in the Florida Islands, before the Japanese occupied it in May. From here the Japanese moved across to Guadacanal. With the arrival of the Japanese in Guadacanal all the foreigners fled, leaving the islanders to face the Japanese alone. On August 6, the Americans entered the waters around Guadacanal for their first major offensive against the Japanese in the Solomons. It was here that the America suffered one of their worst strategic sea defeats ever, near the island of Savo when attempting to recapture the territory.
Before the Japanese were driven out in 80, men in airplanes, battleships, submarines and on foot had battled on the islands. The war eventually claimed 7, Americans and 39, Japanese lives. The islanders did not participate directly in the major engagements, but they helped the Allied forces, especially as scouts or guerrillas, and received military decorations for their bravery. After the war ended a new capital was established in Honiara around the wharves and the new American airstrip — Henderson Airfield on Guadacanal.
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