Culture and history

The cultural fabric of the Solomon Islands is multilingual and "insular" in spirit: dozens of local languages, English and the ubiquitous Pijin.

Social glue is the wantok ("one language/one's own") system, where mutual assistance and community responsibility determine everyday life.

Kastom (traditional law and rites) coexists with Christianity: shell money (especially in Malaita) for marriage and reconciliation ceremonies, wood carvings and sea shell decorations are preserved.

Maritime heritage is visible in long tomoko canoes with carvings on the bow, and the music scene is famous for bamboo panflute ensembles and polyphony.

Historical arc: from the early ocean migrations and Lapita connections to the first European contact in the 16th century, then the British protectorate and plantation economy.

In 1942-1943, Guadalcanal became one of the key arenas of the Pacific Campaign; the memory of those battles and the Iron Dnieper forms a separate layer of identity and memorial tourism.

Independence was proclaimed on July 7, 1978.

The modern agenda is a balance between custom and state institutions, caring for forests and the sea, developing education and supporting island communities in the face of climate and economic challenges.