The Solomon Islands have diverse cultures, languages and customs. The population is 94.5% Melanesian, 3% Polynesian and 1.2% Micronesian. Having spent a week on Ofu Island near American Samoa last year (which was 100% Polynesian people), I was looking forward to experience life with another one of the diverse cultural groups of the South Pacific. The Melanesians are dark skinned and shorter in stature vs the Polynesians who are light brown skinned and tend to be larger in stature. There were times when I felt like I was in a small African town. Some guide books say the black heritage comes from the Aboriginal people of Australia. Here are some of the facts I found out about the Melanesian Culture before I left.
The chief characteristics of the traditional Melanesian social structure are:
• The practice of subsistence economy.
• The recognition of bonds of kinship, with important obligations extending beyond the immediate family group.
• Generally egalitarian relationships, emphasising acquired rather than inherited status.
• A strong attachment of the people to the land.
Most Solomon Islanders maintain this traditional social structure and find their roots in village life.
The maps below show the general regions of the three main cultural groups of the South Pacific.
On my first day I hiked out to some of the fishing villages to the north of Gizo. This was a good introduction to where and how the people in the villages lived. My next post will be about the town of Gizo.
