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Solomon Islands Pidgin Language Week

Halo Oloketa!

Sunday 24th – Saturday 30th November 2024 was Solomon Aelan Pijin Langguis Wik, Solomon Islands Pidgin Language Week.

Community drop-in

Community drop-in

PAST EVENT

Our Te Aho Mutunga Kore team warmly invite Solomon Islands community members to join us to view a selection of Solomon Islands textile and fibre material in our collections here at Tāmaki Paenga Hira, Auckland War Memorial Museum. 

Check back next year for new dates to come and visit taonga in person with the Te Aho Mutunga Kore team

Te Aho Mutunga Kore

Bag, Solomon Islands. Collection of Auckland Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, 1932.454, 18494.2

Protect our language and culture!

Protektim langguis an kalsa blong yumi!

Protect our language and culture!

PAST EVENT

Come and join the very first Solomon Islands' language celebrations here at your museum and be welcome by cultural performances, a path to language sustainability!

Aldio Pita: Profile on a Solomon Islands artist

 

My heritage tells me that we need to conserve and protect the environment or future generations will suffer. Through my art, I hope to inspire people to protect the environment and remember their culture.

Aldio Pita

I am passionate about conservation – both environmental and cultural.

With logging seriously threatening the rainforests of my province and country, I joined a NZ Aid Paper and Printmaking workshop in 1995 offering an alternative sustainable income from the trees. I learned how to make paper from waste leaves and used my carving skills to create woodblocks and make prints using the back of a spoon or using an old car jack press! A pedal powered fibre beater - an old modified washing machine hooked up to an exercycle to beat banana and other forest fibre was the answer in a village without electricity!

Extracting banana fibre

Rolling ink on the print

Aldio with his grandchildren, the third generation of artists from the family to learn the printmaking craft

Thirty years on, I continue to create limited edition woodblock prints. My trees remain standing and 'endangered' cultural images are recorded and revitalized. My wife and I have raised and educated 5 children to tertiary level with our art and now our grandchildren are learning these skills too.

The dream I am working on now is to develop a small residential art school on my tiny island in Marovo Lagoon, Western Province.  I want to pass on my skills to local people and any interested people from overseas who would like to come and share our lifestyle and skills.

Aldio Pita leads his community by example. He has represented Solomon Islands at numerous Pacific and International Arts Festivals and Symposiums and has work in collections around the world.

We're proud to stock Aldio Pita's work in our Hokohoko Museum Store, check out the collection here. 

Personal connections to the Solomon Islands collection 

Florie Dausabea and Nichole Loloselo kindly share with us their perspectives and insights for Solomon Islands Language Week. 

Florie Dausabea (L) and Nichole Loloselo (R) looking at taonga in the Pacific Masterpieces Gallery.

Nichole Loloselo

Nichole Loloselo

Nichole Loloselo has made a significant contribution to the Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum through her dedicated volunteer work on the recent Mick Pendergrast acquisition to the Human History collection. Collaborating closely with Juliana Satchell and the Pacific Collection Team, Nichole meticulously labelled smaller objects within the collection. This task held particular significance for Nichole, as some of the adornments from Solomon Islands, which she catalogued, are deeply connected to her own heritage and cultural identity. Beyond her practical contributions, Nichole's involvement fostered valuable discussions surrounding ethical collection practices, provenance, and the importance of connecting heritage materials to source communities in diaspora. Her commitment to preserving indigenous languages was evident in her efforts to name objects using their proper indigenous names.

Below is a conversation between Nichole and Juliana.

Nichole Loloselo has made a significant contribution to the Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum through her dedicated volunteer work on the recent Mick Pendergrast acquisition to the Human History collection. Collaborating closely with Juliana Satchell and the Pacific Collection Team, Nichole meticulously labelled smaller objects within the collection. This task held particular significance for Nichole, as some of the adornments from Solomon Islands, which she catalogued, are deeply connected to her own heritage and cultural identity. Beyond her practical contributions, Nichole's involvement fostered valuable discussions surrounding ethical collection practices, provenance, and the importance of connecting heritage materials to source communities in diaspora. Her commitment to preserving indigenous languages was evident in her efforts to name objects using their proper indigenous names.

Here is a conversation between Nichole and Juliana.

 

JS: Can you share a bit about your cultural identity and how it has shaped your worldview?

 

NL: As a Solomon Islander, I feel that since taking on this journey of reclaiming my cultural identity, I have developed a sense of pride and belonging. To be comfortable and proud of my heritage and roots, is also a way of honouring the ones before me, namely my ancestors and family back home. Being Savo (from dad) and Malaita (from mum) means I have two sets of kastom, traditions and cultures, running through my blood. So, navigating the world according to these values, allows me to channel these gifts into anything I pursue.

 

JS: How important is language to your cultural identity and heritage?

 

NS: Language is such a fundamental part of culture that's inextricably linked to tradition, kastom and knowledge. Speaking my language allows for those connections to be made, but simultaneously strengthens my connection to my cultural identity. Growing up, I only spoke English, so I missed out on learning Solomon pidgin and my native tongues from Savo (SavoSavo) and Malaita (Lau). Taking up Solomon pidgin, and my native tongue, is a way of honouring my younger self, but also acknowledging my language journey so far.

 

JS: Do you have any specific family traditions or stories that have been passed down through generations?

 

NL: A memorable story I recall, stems back several generations from my dad’s side, a story about how one of my ancestors migrated from Guadalcanal to Savo Island. A lady travelled all over Guadalcanal Island. When she reached Vatulovo village in west Guadalcanal, she called the sharks and travelled to the island of Savo. She passed when the volcano erupted. This lady is one of my family’s ancestral protectors. One of the things she left was a wild plant called “gani”, which is only found in certain areas of Guadalcanal and Savo island. Gani is a very large pana (a variety of yam) which requires special practices to maintain and harvest to enable it to flourish. It is believed to be our ancestral nourishment. Everywhere this lady went, is where gani is found, so we can track her journey, through the places where gani is found on the two Islands.

 

JS: Are there any cultural practices or skills that you've learned from your family or community?

 

NL: During one of the workshops for Solomon Island Auckland Wantoks Association (SIAWA), we made shell money. The making of Shell money is a practice originating from Malaita province and remains an ongoing practice. I have always wanted to learn how to make shell money especially since it’s a unique part of my culture, and one I wear proudly.

 

JS: How do you feel connected to the Solomon Islands materials you've been working with?

 

NL: Handling the material evokes that sense of connection, but also uncovering the origins, strengthens that connection.

 

JS: How does language influence the creation and understanding of Solomon Islands material culture?

 

NL: Language breathes life into material cultures. The ability to name the object in accordance with tradition and kastom, is a way of preserving and passing down both the object and the language for generations. Alternatively, I find that the material culture itself speaks volume, so language acts as a gateway to understanding the material.

 

JS: Why is it important to preserve Solomon Islands material culture?

 

NL: Material culture is a physical manifestation of our traditions and kastom, representing a significant part of who we are, our beliefs, values and practices. Each item that exists in our Solomon Islands material culture tells the stories of those who come before us. Therefore, just as we work to preserve our language, we must also work to preserve our material culture.

 

JS: What have been the biggest challenges and rewards of working with these materials?

 

NL: I found that handling the materials was a new experience. Usually when we see the materials, it’s behind a glass for display. Having the privilege to work with the materials itself, feels rewarding. One of the challenges has been handling the materials, especially given how fragile they are.
 

 

Nichole Loloselo is currently completing her Honours in Sociology at the University of Auckland. Through her volunteer work on the Mick Pendergrast collection, she has gained invaluable experience and developed a passion for cultural heritage. She hopes to continue her work in this field, contributing to the preservation and celebration of Pacific cultures.

 

Florie Dausabea

Florie Dausabea

Florie Takalo Dausabea, is a passionate advocate for Solomon Islands culture and language. Hailing from the diverse regions of Kwara’ae, Kwaio (Malaita Province), Marovo (Western Province), and Nuatabu (Choiseul Province), Florie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role as President of the Solomon Islands Auckland Wantoks Association.

A dedicated educator and mother of two sons, Florie is committed to sharing the rich cultural heritage of the Solomon Islands with the next generation. She enjoys teaching about the history, languages, traditions, dances, music, and stories of her homeland.

Now, let's delve deeper into the world of Solomon Islands culture as Florie talks about the Lifa Ba ‘ekwa Kome, a traditional shark tooth armband.

A shark is a revered deity or God in many of our cultures in the Solomon Islands. They are held in high regard and are often referred to as tabu/tambu (sacred) because of their connection to our ancestors or they are seen as representations of our ancestors. To remember their significance and reinforce their scaredness sharks are often told in our kastom stories, re-enacted in our dances, sung in our songs and chants or drawn and added as part of our designs for our carvings, ornaments and artefacts. In these cultures where it is a tabu/tambu, it is also discouraged or not allowed to fish, eat or tamper with a shark.

In the Solomon Islands we have 80+ languages and dialects and so we have different names for sharks in our many indigenous languages. I will give you an example from the three Provinces where I come from. For example, in the Marovo language which is in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands a shark is called Kiso; in the Babatana language in the Choiseul Province it is called Bü​za whilst in the Kwara’ae language in Malaita Province it is called Ba’ekwa (Ba’eok). Similarly, there are many names for the shark teeth armband, but I will focus on the Kwara’ae language.

The name for a shark teeth arm band in the Kwara'ae language (Malaita Province) is Lifa Ba ‘ekwa Kome. To say it correctly in the Kwara'ae language you contract the words when pronouncing it, so it becomes Lia'h Ba'eok Koem and looks like this when you write it. 

The word Lifa (Lia’h) means teeth. The word Ba’ekwa (Ba’eok) is the term for shark and Kome (Koem) is the word for armband.

The rope or fibre in the arm band is from a tree called Dadame. The rope used here is called a Dada’ol. The fibre from the Dadame is extracted and is commonly used to make the rope to weave baskets or ropes and strings for necklaces or jewellery. The same fibre is used for kailbeat which is the name for the rope we placed around our ankles to climb a tall tree or a coconut tree. This is because the fibre is 'strong' to carry the weight of a person or heavier ornaments. The fibre from the Dadame tree is also preferred because it can last a long time and does not succumb to rot or insects and rats eating it.

Translator: Florie Dausabea
Knowledge Holder: Patricia Maetian Sabana Dallu and Florie Dausabea

Solomon Islands Arm Band 1951.160.394, 32426

© Auckland Museum CC BY More information ›

The Insect Biodiversity of Solomon Islands

The Insect Biodiversity of Solomon Islands

In this blog for Solomon Aelan Pijin Langguis Wik (Solomon Islands Pidjin Language Week), we've taken a dive into the incredible insect diversity on each of the many islands that make up the Solomon Island archipelago. Each island is diverse, with high numbers of endemic species. The number of endemic butterflies of the Makira-Ulawa province alone is over triple the number of known endemic butterflies in New Zealand 🦋

Read more

Libythea geoffroy eborinus from Honiara, Guadalcanal (AMNZ189553). ​Collected by Peter G. Fenemore. © Auckland Museum CC BY

Museums in the Pacific Network

Shirley Mwanesalua, Curator of the Solomon Islands National Museum share some of the work they do to support Solomon Aelan Pijin language and culture.

Thank you for inviting the Solomon Islands National Museum to be part of the Solomon Aelan Pijin Langguis Wik - Solomon Islands Pidgin Language week, to share a bit of the work we do in keeping the Solomon Aelan Pijin language and culture alive, with the theme 'Protektim langguis an kalsa blong yumi - Protect our language and culture'.

The Solomon Islands National Museum Division of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is the principal repository of the country’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage. As a premier culture and heritage institution of the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) its mission is; to collect, preserve, protect, safeguard, record, develop and promote the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the Solomon Islands. Language as an intangible cultural heritage is of central importance to culture and identities. Solomon Islands Pijin is the common language spoken by a majority of the population, especially in Honiara (the capital).

The National Museum have over the years established and developed connections with local communities, professionals and institutions who are interested in supporting cultural heritage management and language preservation in the country. The Museum have previously collaborated with the Solomon Islands Translation Advisory Group (SITAG) on language-related projects. On July 2017, the Solomon Islands National Museum and the Solomon Islands Translation Advisory Group co-sponsored the 10th Conference On Oceanic Linguistics (COOL10) in Honiara, and it was the first time, it was held in the Solomon Islands. This collaborative work is important for supporting language and culture vitality and sustainability in the Solomon Islands.

Museum spaces can be productive sites of language preservation and conservation. There are translations of the Bible into Solomon Islands languages being displayed and kept at the Museum. In our recently launched exhibition we also incorporate Pijin language into the display text and exhibition. Preserving our language in writing is a way to pass on to the next generation. Language is an essential part of culture so it is very important that it is preserved and protected.

An exhibition panel in Pijin, in the Museum permanent gallery.