27 Oct 2019

Kwaio Culture

After another beautiful snorkel in the morning at the small island of Leli, it was a short crossing to the much larger island of Malaita. This afternoon we were heading for a unique encounter - with the Kwaio people. Until recently they had been largely isolated from the outside world because of a complex feud whose origins date back to colonial times. This was resolved only last year and in late 2018 Spirit of Enderby was the first ship to call on them.  As this was now only the second visit of a ship it was to be a very special occasion, both for us and the Kwaio people too.

The approach was a magical experience, our Zodiacs travelling through narrow, winding tunnels of mangrove. These eventually opened into an enclosed lagoon. The Kwaio have great respect for their lands and seas and much of the mangrove is protected to ensure that young fish have a safe place to grow up. In turn, this boosts the catch they can harvest sustainably. This was just one of many aspects of Kwaio traditional culture that still survives. As a group they are determined to preserve their precious natural resources and unique culture and prevent them from being overwhelmed as they begin to interact with the modern world.

As we landed a group of fierce looking warriors sprang out and 'challenged' us with loud shouting - their traditional way of testing visitors to determine their intention. Satisfied we were friendly, they led us on to a clearing. Here we were entertained by a pan pipe band, followed by demonstrations of traditional crafts. This included the making of their distinctive, delicately decorated hair combs. The highlight of our visit was a series of dances in which we were invited to join as part of the ongoing reconciliation between the Kwaio and outsiders. The only condition - that we dressed as they did, which meant just a woven belt and a few leaves for men and a small woven skirt for women. Some of us took part, much to the joy of our fellow Kwaio performers and all the watching villagers.

This meeting had been a unique experience, one that left us in awe at the resilience of the Kwaio people and their vision for the future of their culture. We all felt incredibly privileged as we wove our way back through the mangroves and out to the ship at the end of another special day.

Image (c) N.Nightingale, Heritage Expeditions