Greed and Grievance: Ex-Militants' Perspectives on the Conflict in Solomon Islands, 1998-2003

Appendix 2 "Guadalcanal Struggle for Freedom: Our History in Brief"

193 Appendix 2 “Guadalcanal Struggle for Freedom: Our History in Brief” Written by two anonymous Guale ex-militants in Rove Central Prison, 2004 Note: The following has been transcribed from a handwritten document. The original spelling and formatting have been retained. Where words appear to be missing, I have added suggestions in square brackets. 1. The first whiteman to have landed on the island of Guadalcanal was at the bush areas of Mbokona Qabu. When our people saw them, they thought those white people were spirits. In fear our people hid away in the bushes and followed the white spirits who rowed their boats towards the Matanikau river mouth. On landing at the river mouth the white spirits were visibly amazed when they saw the devils stone (Gold) everywhere along the banks of the Matanikau river. The white spirits collecting the devils stones. In fear of retribution by the ancestral spirits for not protecting the devils stones, our ancestors attacked those white spirits. Two of our ancestors were killed with the white spirits magic stick (Guns). The first action of thieving and murder on our land was committed by the Spanish explorer, Alvarode Mendana and his men at the Mantanikau river mouth. The Spanish attempt to colonise our land and her sisters was unsuccessful for God forbid thieves from our land. 194 ◊ Appendix 2 * Mistake Sin No/1 2. The British came to the islands but was less interested since they found nothing of interest. Instead, they upled for christianising the islanders. This took place in the 1800’s. 3. In 1898 seven (7) whitemen went up the Matapona river as far as Suta Kama. Again our ancestors were watching from behind the bushes and witnessed them stealing the devil stones from along the river banks. Again our ancestors attacked those whitemen to protect the devils stone. Two whitemen were killed and were eaten, boots and all. Five of the whitemen escaped after firing their magic sticks and keeping our ancestors from getting close. *Whiteman mistake (sin) No/2 4. 1898–1902. This time the whitemen came to deceive, murder and steal our people. Our people were taken into forced labour and it was their sweat, tears and toil that shaped the sugar industries of Australia and Fiji. Today, the descendants of those that were denied return passage are looked upon as second/third class citizens of these nations. *Whiteman mistake (Sin) No/3 5. The whitemen introduced imprisonment, a form of punishment so alien and stupid to us for breaking or disobeying the unknown and unseen king/queen of England. A form of legislation so alien that introduced have yet to understand the motives which so maliciously violated and ignored our cultural values. We observed with amazement the taking of our people from our villages to Tulagi where they [were] to be locked up in some buildings and worked for a whiteman who has nothing to do us. Some were even hanged for what the whitemen called crimes that could be easily sorted out in our cultural ways where parties involved would be satisfied. A complete invasion of our culture by the selfish, greedy ignorant and arrogant white culture. Whiteman mistake (sin) No/4 6. After the whitemans war (1942–45) which came to our islands (God knows what for) and as a result a lot of our people lost Appendix 2 ◊ 195 their lives. The British without consulting us, moved their houses to our island at a place called NAHONA-ARA. Its activities attracted a lot of people from other islands to come and live in its villages which grew so fast that our people from 1945 to date are subjected to continued eviction from traditional lands, our sacred sites and our cultural values. The island of Guadalcanal (as the whiteman called our land) then was forced to carry the burden of the Solomon Islands. Our island suffered much [more] than any of her sisters. She witnessed so much immorality practised by all the people on the land for the first time. Sex was practised on its beaches, along the bushes and everywhere, adultery, thieving, murder, dirty money deals, dishonesty, corruption etc.... *Whitemens 5th and biggest mistake which must be stopped 7. In 1968 the British Western Pacific Commissioner visited the weather coast of Guadalcanal. Thousands of people gathered in respect of that foreign dignitary, with cultural valuables such as shell money, food and assorted gifts...