MZC HERE-NOW

Solomon Islands, Marovo Lagoon, Stories

 

Gura, one of the master carvers on Gatukai Island, is also a storyteller. His full native name is Gura Bula, which means peacemaker. He never went to school. He learned reading from his brother and English from watching television. His English is excellent and his knowledge about the world impressive. He told me the story of his people.

 

 

 

 

Gura sitting in front of his kitchen house where he also does his carvings

 

Where do we come from? Many mythological and religious stories all over the world try to answer this question. Now it is science, which looks into this big question of origins. The ancestors of Gura had their own explanation.

 

 

 

A shell called Shiva’s Eye in India

 

 

The origin story of Gura’s ancestors goes back to Tettepore, who was born after developing for 8 years in his mother’s womb. He only had 8 strands of hair, which he used for many things. One time, the boat his people were sitting in was sinking. He threw a strand of hair to the nearby island and made a bridge to safety. However, one woman fell into the ocean when walking over the bridge and turned into a dolphin. Ever since, they believe that the dolphins are one of their ancestors. It brings them luck when they see one.

 

 

 

 

 

The eel is another animal the natives on Gatukai Island believe to be in a symbiotic relationship. They damned up the river Kavolavata (kavo = river) in order to breed the eels near their village.

 

 

 

 

The eels live in the deeper part of the river to the right 

 

Until 1914, the people living in Marovo Lagoon were living their traditional way of life and were headhunters. The great great grand father of Gura was the first to become a 7th Day Adventist. Gura explained that the power they previously got from evil now comes from believing in and praying to God. I could see that Gura was radiating power – but the power of kindness. It was incredibly interesting to listen to the stories of how his ancestors lived not more than 100 years ago. Some of the stories he told were carved by one of his brothers on an old warrior canoe.

 

 

 

 

Driftwood lodge with a warrior canoe hanging from the ceiling

 

 

Guru’s great great grand grand father was the chief of his community. As the chief, he had the “Ligomo” power, meaning that he was the commander of his warriors.  The Ligomo power was contained in a shell holding several things – including a human tooth.

 

 

 

I collected shells and coral reefs on the beach just enjoying the beauty of these things

 

Having Ligomo power meant that the chief was able to directly connect with the Spirit. The Spirit told him what to eat, what to do and when to attack other islands. There were many taboos. For example, it was absolutely forbidden for the chief to walk underneath his house or eat crab soup.  In doing so, he would have lost his Ligomo power. In order to keep his power, he had to occasionally eat a child.

 

 

 

 

Nguzunguzu to the right holding a human skull

 

Human skulls are also depicted in the triangle. The circles above them are traditional shell money.

 

 

 

 

Another heap of human heads carved on the canoe

 

The sacrifice of a child was highly ritualized. First, his warriors were asked to bring back a child from their head hunting mission. The child was then kept in the village and treated very well in anticipation of the future sacrifice (a similar story is told in Grimm’s Hansel and Gretel, where the witch was feeding Hansel very good food). However, there were taboos involved too. If this child went underneath the house, then it could not be sacrificed anymore and was supposed to marry a son or daughter of the chief.

 

When the time was right for the sacrifice, the whole village went to a special island were the ritual killing took place (the child was drugged). The chief ate part of the child in order to keep his power.

 

 

 

 

Sacrifice of a child

 

Afterwards, the whole village paddled to another island to have a big feast. It was the same island where we went for snorkeling and a picnic. I did not feel anything of the gruesome past.

 

 

 

 

 

The ritual only could be done by warriors. A warrior was a man who had killed at least 30 other warriors from another island and brought back their heads. They had to fight by facing each other and were not allowed to kill women or children. The warriors only could eat food cooked by other warriors. They had to obey many rules in order to keep their powers.

 

 

 

 

 

Another way to keep the Ligomo power was to adopt powerful animals. For example, the great great great grand father of Gura adopted the crocodile and the shark. With this act, they became his messengers and alerted him of danger. One time, envious boys served his son, who was believed to also have the Ligomo power, crab soup. A shark rocked the boat of the chief and he knew that there was something wrong going on. After he heard of the incident of the crab soup, he connected with the spirit of the shark again and promised to do what the shark wanted him to do in order to restore his son’s power. However, he never fulfilled his promise – it was only important to connect and promise, but actually not important to really do it.

 

The village also was attacked by other tribes. They had a place of safety. Gura showed me the steep cliff with only one entrance. A single warrior could defend it.

 

 

 

Place of safety for the villagers

 

 

 

 

The canoe also had the carving of a native climbing up a coconut tree and another one going fishing with a harpoon – both foods are still in the traditional diet of the natives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solomon Islands, Village Life

 

By staying five days in Driftwood Lodge, I was also able to connect with the natives and see a bit their way of life. In order to reach their village, I had to cross two rivers.

 

 

 

 

This bridge was a bit exposed, especially because the rope to hold on was loose and did not give much support. However, I did not fall into the water.

 

 

 

 

The bridge was no problem for the natives

 

 

 

 

Second river crossing

 

On my first time walking to the village, I saw a cyclone approaching in the distance and returned back to the lodge. The storm was so strong, that I was afraid that a coconut got loose and falls on my head – it did not happen.

 

 

 

A cyclone on the horizon

 

It did not reach the island.

 

On my second walk, we visited the new village school (built by an NGO). Children go to school from age 7 until 13. If they want to continue their education, they have to go to a boarding school.

 

 

 

New village school

 

 

 

The only classroom

 

 

 

It was interesting to see the public display of the fees not paid

 

In general, the education of the children is built on trust. Letting them do things from a very young age is one of the teaching tools. Even very young children can handle knives.

 

 

 

Little grandson of Gura with a huge knife

 

 

 

 

The village is home of master carvers. All are members of a huge family. We visited one of the carvers in his home. He was in the process of creating a sculpture depicting an octopus and turtle made out of ebony.

 

 

 

 

 

Every carving is done solely by hand and with very simple tools.

 

 

 

 

 

Smiley is another member of the family of carvers. Here he shows the two pendants he made out of ebony and shells.

 

In every house, the kitchen is a separate building. I assume that the reason for that is fire prevention. However, this means that another danger is luring during flooding.  Crocodiles might swim underneath the houses, which is especially dangerous for children.

 

 

 

 

Kitchen house

 

 

 

 

Fish is the main meal of the natives. One time I saw a boat coming to the shore with lots of fish. Children were watching and helping carrying the fish home.

 

 

 

 

A dead tree used to hold fishing nets

 

Gura, one of the master carvers, showed us two heaps of stones marking a sacred place.  One heap contained the earth of the home island from where his ancestors came from. They were asked to come and protect the village from the enemy.  The other heap marked the grave of a warrior, once covered with smoking pipes (they were sold to missionaries, like many other cultural things). His ancestor was the head of an army of warriors. The name “warrior” could only be used by somebody who killed at least 30 enemy warriors and brought back their heads. This area was the home of headhunters. The last headhunter hunted in 1942.

 

 

 

Gura with his carving knife and an unfinished object

 

There is no doctor on most of the islands. The natives rely on the knowledge of healing plants growing in the jungle. This is very different to Honiara, where people have forgotten the natural healing remedies. In Honiara, they rely on doctors, which do not have much knowledge of Western medicine either. Often antibiotics are prescribed, even when there is no relationship to the sickness.

 

 

 

 

Stewy is not only a master free diver but also knows a lot of jungle plants. He went with us on a jungle walk and explained the different healing plants. When bleeding, moss is used to stop it. Specific leaves of a plant are used to stop stomachache. Crushing Papaya leaves and eating the bitter substance treat dengue fever.

 

 

 

 

 

The four corner fruit is used for insect bites.

 

 

 

 

 

SOLOMON ISLANDS, MAROVO LAGOON

 

 

 

The days we spent in Drift Wood Lodge were pure magic. Every day we went with our small boats to paradisiacal islands and could see the most magnificent, healthy coral reefs. When snorkeling, I was sometimes surrounded by thousands of fish swimming in a group. Time is different when in the ocean. Everything seems to be slower, more graceful, and peaceful.

 

 

Going snorkeling and free diving with our crew

 

 

Lorenz made photos with an underwater camera. However, it was only able to capture a glimpse of the beauty of coral reefs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The coral reefs are an example of harmony and beauty. A coral reef is a humongous living being hosting plants in its inside, which provides nourishment for the corals. In the Solomon Islands, the coral reefs are still healthy, but the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is in the process of dying. Global warming causes a big stress on the corals. In order to cope with the stress, they push out the plants they need for nourishment. This leads to a starvation of the corals and they become white – coral bleaching. In 30 years, 50% of the world’s coral reefs have died. Global warming leads to a disaster in the ocean and on land!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One time, two manta rays were swimming underneath us, checking us out. They swam like angels of the ocean

 

We saw many different kinds of beautiful fish. Sometimes, we saw turtles swimming by and often sharks. Sharks are not dangerous (if you do not have an injury and do not touch them). On our way back to the Drift Wood Lodge, our guide spotted a group of pilot whales beside our boat. We all jumped into the water. There were about 25 pilot whales communicating with each other and also about 100 sharks.  Even the crew members never saw something like that. It was amazing!

 

 

 

Spotting pilot whales beside our boat

 

 

Click below for pilot whales swimming video:

aa8f347e-91a7-4332-9e8c-a6b498847c67

 

 

 

 

In this part of the world, the oceans are still clean with crystal clear water. No trash anywhere, no plastic – also no noise and pollution of any kind.

 

 

 

 

The calm water reflecting the magnificent cumulus clouds

 

 

 

 

SOLOMON ISLANDS,  MAROVO LAGOON

 

Traveling between the islands is a challenge – like many other things on the Solomon Islands. When we wanted to buy tickets for our boat trip to Marovo Lagoon, the ticket office was closed. The person selling the ticket simply did not show up. Not showing up is normal. Lorenz told me that one of the hospitals in Honiara ran out of medicine because the person having the key for the pharmaceutical room was on vacation for over a month. Nobody else was allowed to enter the room. Often, doctors do not show up for work and patients do not come for follow-ups. Lorenz had to wait for a visa (he did not have a visa for several months) because the minister of immigration was on vacation and the visa needed his signature – this is island life. However, it is worth taking all these hassles – these islands are magical!

 

 

 

Our boat Anjeanette

 

The trip to Marovo Lagoon on the Anjeanette (an old Chinese boat) took 9 hours. We traveled overnight in first class – a room to sleep with about 15 people on the floor. The room was equipped with an air-conditioner, however it dropped water all night and in the morning, my blanket was soaking wet. But it was pure luxury compared to all the others.  Second class was a bigger room in the belly of the boat, but with many more people. On third class, people had chairs to sit on the deck all night. Tickets in 4th class meant finding a place in the corridors, stairs and in between boxes. It felt like a refugee boat – but I am sure, that the conditions are much worse there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

First class cabin 

 

We arrived at Driftwood Lodge on Gatukai Island after a half an hour boat ride and 10 minutes jungle walk and stayed in this lodge for five nights. It was pure paradise!

 

 

 

The harbor at Gantukai island

 

 

 

Entrance to Driftwood Lodge

 

We sit and stand under the huge entrance gate of the lodge, which is the jaw of a blue whale. Several years ago, the humongous animal was swept on shore. The lodge was built and is run by Matt, an Australian. He is a free diver who is able to stay 5 minutes under water without breathing and dives more than 60m deep. Watching him is watching an elegant fish swimming in the ocean. Adrienne, Ale, Lorenz and I carry the woven bags the crew gave us upon our departure.

 

Out of the vertebrae of the whale, one of the artists carved a face. The face looked like Humbaba to me, the protector of the huge Cedar forests in the Gilgamesh Epic – a warning against the ruthless logging industry.

Each of us had a very charming room in the lodge. My room was in the attic with a toilet and shower on the terrace. The view was spectacular!

 

 

 

 

 

Open air toilet

 

The crew of the Driftwood lodge was like a good functioning, traditional family. When we were snorkeling and diving, some crew members were catching fish with their harpoons. The women cooked the fish and served it with delicious vegetables and salads.

 

 

Dewy, an excellent diver, caught this fish with a harpoon

 

 

Kleme, preparing the fish on an outside grill

 

They first place they decided to make fire was a place where a turtle laid and buried her eggs, so they left it untouched.

 

 

 

Rosa making a basket out of palm leaves for our food

 

 

Gura came with us to look for driftwood for his carvings. He found a piece and in his mind he saw a shark. He immediately started to carve and used first a hatchet to shape it.

 

 

Kleme found a baby dove and took it back home to care for it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honiara, the town founded by Japanese forces when building Henderson airport during World War II in 1942, has also places of beauty and interest. One of these places is a coffeehouse located on the waterfront. Many expatriates visit it. The coffeehouse closes at 3 pm, which means that the entrance gate to the alley leading to the parking lot also closes at this time. One day, I arrived several minutes after 3 pm at the gate. The gatekeeper did not let me in to meet Ale. I had to wait 30 minutes until Ale drove out. The extremes of no rules with chaos and absolute rules without exceptions seem to exist side by side in Honiara.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beside Breakwater Coffeehouse stands the National art gallery of the Solomon Islands. I did not see any name on the building and asked a group of young people where it is located. “No idea” they said. Then I walked to one of the art booths beside the street and asked a woman where the art gallery was. She pointed to the house the group of young men were standing by and said “It is this building, but there is nothing in it! Every art is on the street”. Her words made me even more curious and I walked in. The building was full of art pieces by local artists.

 

 

 

The Last Drop from Heaven by Nelson Horipua

 

 

The above art piece especially touched my heart, as it expresses the huge environmental problem the nation of Solomon Islands is facing. 70% of the GNP is coming from logging. The land belongs to the natives. For many of them, logging is the only income. They do not see the consequences of their actions. Flora and fauna of the jungle is destroyed and the soil becomes loose and is making the rivers muddy. The muddy waters of the rivers come to the ocean and destroy the world’s most beautiful coral reefs. The whole world has to wake up to this disaster. Here is the statement of the artist:

 

Creatures of the earth

crying out because

their ecosystem is poisoned

by man’s greed for development

the air, sea and land

is polluted with toxic chemicals

trees chopped mercilessly

for profit to sustain man’s

hunger for wealth

rivers polluted

a result of industrialization

in the village, life rolls on

people laughing, dancing and having fun

polluting their environment

“Leaf bloakwa no more” they shout

little they know

their action is

a grave waiting its fill

Here comes the final drop from Heaven

a drop that quenches

no human thirst and hunger

because human greed

had had its fill

 

Not every art piece was pointing to the problems of the Solomon Islands and the world. The painting down below tells a mythological love story. It also shows how connected the people of the islands are with their environment.

 

 

 

The Healing Dream by artist Aldio Pita from the Western Islands, Marovo Lagoon.  

(In Marovo Lagoon, we stayed for 5 days – a truly magical place).

 

Along the street outside of the National Art Gallery, local artists sold their craft like hand woven baskets, many carvings out of coconut trees, ebony or rosewood and jewelry.

 

 

 

 Warrior god Nguzunguzu

 

 

This warrior god was mounted on the head of the canoe when a group of warriors was on a head-hunting mission.  During the times when head hunting was still the norm, Nguzunguzu was holding a human head. With Christianity arriving, the head was replaced by a bird, a symbol for peace. Characteristic for this sculpture are the wide, open eyes. During the head-hunting mission, one warrior had to stand in the front of the canoe with spear and shield and was not allowed to close his eyes. In case this happened, the god took over the wakefulness. Falling asleep was considered a bad omen.

 

 

 

A couple

 

 

Another popular art theme I saw in Honiara was tattoos, especially in the faces of women. The woman I was allowed to make a photo of came from Malaita. She told me that her tattoo was made when she was a little child as a mark for which tribe she belongs to.

 

 

 

 

In general, the natives on Solomon Islands are deeply religious. When the explorer Mendaña discovered the Solomon Islands about 450 years ago, he brought a cross with him. Ever since this cross is venerated in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Honiara. It happened that I could witness the celebration of the homecoming of the cross after it toured in different parts of the islands.

 

 

 

 

For hours, people were waiting for the cross to come. When it arrived, they all knelt down on the rocky ground. Girls dressed in white and red robes were dancing barefoot.

 

 

 

Waiting for their part to perform

 

 

 

Another group of boys waiting to perform

 

 

During the time I stayed in Honiara, we often went to the Central Market to go shopping for fresh vegetables, fruit and fish. People also sold shell money there; it is still a way to pay in some parts of the Solomon Islands. Shell money is made in Malaita in the traditional way of cutting the shells with sharp stones into small pieces. The most expensive pieces have a reddish color. Women in the market make their necklaces and wedding decorations while waiting for customers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main food production on the Solomon Islands is Coconuts. The coconut tree is endangered by the Rhinoceros beetle, killing the tree. With that, the people lose their main income. Lorenz started an awareness campaign to cut and burn the sick coconut trees by employing a local music group that sings a song about this Rhinoceros beetle, which is broadcast in radio stations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many things are sold in little heaps

 

 

Out of curiosity, I went into some stores in the business district of Honiara. Almost every store is owned by a Chinese person. That person sits on a high platform or chair and overlooks the store while locals are working and shopping. The Chinese are resented in Honiara, but they have a near monopoly on the stores. They offer cheap products for the locals. I did not see one quality store in Honiara.

 

Most of the ships I saw in the harbor were former Chinese ships and still have Chinese inscriptions.

 

 

 

 

When walking through town, I liked to read the signs in Pidgin English.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is an inscription on a cigarette package stating that smoking makes you blind. I did not see so many smokers. Betel nut seems to be more popular. Alcohol is a big problem. There is a saying on the island: ‘When you see a car driving straight, be careful!” With so many holes, the cars do not stay on the left side but constantly change in order to avoid the holes. A drunken person cannot do it anymore.

 

 

 

 

 

LODGING

 

Weaved banana leaves

Show the age of 20 years

Crystal clear water

‘

 

Ipu leana

The dampness of the bed sheets

Dries during the night

 

(Ipu leana means good night)

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUNGLE

 

Brown bird sweeping down

A tall, white barked jungle tree

Is its resting place

.

.

 

 

 

 

 

.

Holding down a branch

A body of fire ants

Bite into my skin

.

.

Chirping cicadas

Beside river with no name

A long way back home

.

.

 

 

 A frog on the trail –

Dead leaves on the jungle path

Look quite similar

 

 

Take care of yourself!

The doves in the high palm trees

Mock your insect bites

.

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Growing on a rock

A single tree withstands the

 harshness of the sea