In order to understand the culture of returning home to the provinces one must understand the make up of Solomon Islands. Without the British colonising the Islands I think they would remain separate countries. Unfortunately the British protectorate declare the 9 provinces which make up the Solomon Islands a nation regardless of race, culture and language. So present day Solomon Islands is made up of scattered archipelago with one main urban centre which is also the Capital city, Honiara. The rest of the Islands or provinces do have little sub-capitals but most people move to the capital city to work, study and do whatever they could. It is also common for people of different Islands getting married thus the Capital city is really the melting pot of Solomon Islands or should I say Solomon Islands is the melting pot of the South Pacific.
December comes people start packing up to go to their respective provinces for the much awaited holiday which is a stretch of 2 months. In my family we chose to go to my fathers home province as our primary home and in town is our second home. Every year we stay in town from Feb til may, June and July we sometimes spend it back in the province or remain in the Capital city it all depends on how long the mid year breaks are. Then when November ends we will travel back to the province and remain there til late January or early February before we return to the Capital city again. We don't hire people to look after our houses so it remains empty when we are gone for the year.
Around November the capital city is usually packed with people shopping to go home. In the provinces especially where I come from shops are an hour away by out board motor. We are coastal people so we use dug out canoes or fiberglass canoes powered by engines as transportation. We sometimes walk to our intended destination but crossing rivers and getting wet is not exactly an ideal image when entering your hosts home. Mind you there are no bridges not even for the big big rivers swarming with crocodile.
The means of transportation to each province varies, some are only accessible by boat, ferry or air plane. While some take a maximum of 6 hours other provinces are so remote that it takes weeks and most ships are reluctant to make a passenger or cargo run to these areas.
In Solomon Islands we have governmental vessels or privately operated ferries that service all the Islands. But then at each port most of the people will then take a bus, outboard motor etc etc to get to their village. So travelling to the provinces is not really easy, that might explain why some people never return home after settling in the capital city.
In our different Islands we celebrate Christmas and New years with the rest of the villagers. There are no private parties as it is quite rude to do so without inviting extended families. Some villages have what they term " Christmas Programme". In which they have events that will take place through out the whole week ending well after new years.
Solomon Islands is a christian country so we celebrate in a totally different manner to those remaining in the capital city. In the provinces we still do religious activities, learn about the bible, pray and still allocate time to mingle and feasting together.
The week leading up to Christmas the men of the village will go fishing, hunting and gathering whatever is required for the Christmas menu. However these days we just buy pigs and fish from the full time fishermen if we can. The women will do their part in the gathering of other items and the children do help out every now and then.
Then on Christmas day (December 25th) everybody goes to the early morning service, it usually last longer than a regular Sunday service. Traditionally, the children will showcase a drama about Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus Christ. Some denomination have their own rituals that they do during the Christmas service. After church all the villagers will go home to hold a pray time with their immediate family in the privacy of their homes. The village elder will rung the church bell and people will start preparing for the feast, dancing and other activities. This will go on til the wee hours of the next day.
New years eve, its another church time. The service will start at 10pm on new years eve and then continue into the New year. After that people will gather for more feasting but this time a smaller consumption of food as not to put emphasis on New years restricting it to Christmas only. Because of its importance to the christian community.
The first week of January is reserved as the prayer week and is called the Holy Week. It is observed with the same respect as the Christians observe Sunday or Saturday, meaning, there will be no fishing, gardening or anything that requires much work. The children are not allowed to go swimming in the sea or river or play soccer.
After the Holy Week people will start making travelling arrangements to return to the capital city. Another busy month for the transportation industry. Returning to town, we always meet up with friends and families who left for another Part of Solomon Islands for their Christmas holiday.
By February we all should be back to schools and offices. The Christmas and New Years fever is gone and people are counting down to Easter. Another important holiday in the christian Calender.
The way we celebrate Christmas is not the same for all families and Islands. Most of the city dwellers prefer to remain in town and they too celebrate the Christmas their own way. Consumption of Alcohol during Christmas celebration is a new culture that we adopt through western influence. However not every body do so and in most villages alcohol is restricted people who wish to drink alcohol will have to go somewhere else and will be frown upon.
December comes people start packing up to go to their respective provinces for the much awaited holiday which is a stretch of 2 months. In my family we chose to go to my fathers home province as our primary home and in town is our second home. Every year we stay in town from Feb til may, June and July we sometimes spend it back in the province or remain in the Capital city it all depends on how long the mid year breaks are. Then when November ends we will travel back to the province and remain there til late January or early February before we return to the Capital city again. We don't hire people to look after our houses so it remains empty when we are gone for the year.
Around November the capital city is usually packed with people shopping to go home. In the provinces especially where I come from shops are an hour away by out board motor. We are coastal people so we use dug out canoes or fiberglass canoes powered by engines as transportation. We sometimes walk to our intended destination but crossing rivers and getting wet is not exactly an ideal image when entering your hosts home. Mind you there are no bridges not even for the big big rivers swarming with crocodile.
The means of transportation to each province varies, some are only accessible by boat, ferry or air plane. While some take a maximum of 6 hours other provinces are so remote that it takes weeks and most ships are reluctant to make a passenger or cargo run to these areas.
In Solomon Islands we have governmental vessels or privately operated ferries that service all the Islands. But then at each port most of the people will then take a bus, outboard motor etc etc to get to their village. So travelling to the provinces is not really easy, that might explain why some people never return home after settling in the capital city.
In our different Islands we celebrate Christmas and New years with the rest of the villagers. There are no private parties as it is quite rude to do so without inviting extended families. Some villages have what they term " Christmas Programme". In which they have events that will take place through out the whole week ending well after new years.
Solomon Islands is a christian country so we celebrate in a totally different manner to those remaining in the capital city. In the provinces we still do religious activities, learn about the bible, pray and still allocate time to mingle and feasting together.
The week leading up to Christmas the men of the village will go fishing, hunting and gathering whatever is required for the Christmas menu. However these days we just buy pigs and fish from the full time fishermen if we can. The women will do their part in the gathering of other items and the children do help out every now and then.
Then on Christmas day (December 25th) everybody goes to the early morning service, it usually last longer than a regular Sunday service. Traditionally, the children will showcase a drama about Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus Christ. Some denomination have their own rituals that they do during the Christmas service. After church all the villagers will go home to hold a pray time with their immediate family in the privacy of their homes. The village elder will rung the church bell and people will start preparing for the feast, dancing and other activities. This will go on til the wee hours of the next day.
New years eve, its another church time. The service will start at 10pm on new years eve and then continue into the New year. After that people will gather for more feasting but this time a smaller consumption of food as not to put emphasis on New years restricting it to Christmas only. Because of its importance to the christian community.
The first week of January is reserved as the prayer week and is called the Holy Week. It is observed with the same respect as the Christians observe Sunday or Saturday, meaning, there will be no fishing, gardening or anything that requires much work. The children are not allowed to go swimming in the sea or river or play soccer.
After the Holy Week people will start making travelling arrangements to return to the capital city. Another busy month for the transportation industry. Returning to town, we always meet up with friends and families who left for another Part of Solomon Islands for their Christmas holiday.
By February we all should be back to schools and offices. The Christmas and New Years fever is gone and people are counting down to Easter. Another important holiday in the christian Calender.
The way we celebrate Christmas is not the same for all families and Islands. Most of the city dwellers prefer to remain in town and they too celebrate the Christmas their own way. Consumption of Alcohol during Christmas celebration is a new culture that we adopt through western influence. However not every body do so and in most villages alcohol is restricted people who wish to drink alcohol will have to go somewhere else and will be frown upon.
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