442 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION F. 



r._NOTES ON SOME CUSTOMS AND BELIEFS OF THE NATIVES 

 OF CHOISEUL ISLAND. SOLOMON'S GROUP. 



By REVD. S. R. ROONEY. 



1. Class Relationship. — So far as this island is concerned I have 

 failed to discover more than one class. The people seem to know 

 nothing whatever of class distinctions. Theirs is a common lot. 

 The recognised big chiefs mix up freely with, and stand on the same 

 level as the common folk. And then the son of a chief can marry the 

 daughter of a man holding no rank whatever, and vice versa. The 

 boys and girls of the same village are allowed to intermarry. It is 

 not compulsory for a boy of one village to marry a girl belonging to 

 another. Here it seems to be a case of go as you please and do as 

 you like, so far as the question of marriage is concerned. Then it 

 is of little consequence where the newly-married couple decide to 

 live. If a young man has procured a wife from a village other than 

 his own he will sometimes go and live in that village, but more 

 often than not the bride will settle down with her husband in his 

 village. Taking everything into consideration I think it is quite 

 safe to say that there are no class distinctions on Choiseul. 



2. Rites or Observances at Puberty. — These people have no rites 

 or observances at such time. 



3. Ceremonies on Beginning and Conducting War. — Before 

 starting away on a head-hunting raid the oldest chief of the party 

 pays a visit to one of their many sacred places — generally the 

 shrine of some of their ancestors— and there makes an offering and 

 invokes the aid of the spirits in their raiding operations. With 

 much ceremony and amid intense excitement they then embark in 

 their beautiful war-canoes, in each of which has been placed a 

 sacred relic or charm, and travel long distances, ranging from fifty 

 to one himdred and fifty miles, in search of human skulls. Their 

 mode of warfare is that usually adopted by natives of almost any 

 country — taking their enemies by surprise, and killing them before 

 they have an opportrmity of defending themselves. When the 

 head-hunters return to their own village they are received amid 

 great rejoicing by the male portion of the community. Immedi- 

 atelytheyland the head chief pays anothervisit to the little "tambu" 

 house, and on behalf of all who accompanied him on the expedition 

 makes an offering of food, shell armlets and tobacco, by way of 

 returning thanks to the spirits for their assistance in the raid. 

 Immediately after this, men, Women and children make prepara- 

 tions for a gi^eat feast and dance, which usually take place about a 

 week after the arrival of the victors. 



4. Peace- makings. — The head chief of one tribe deputes two 

 or three members of his party or tribe to wait upon the head chief 

 of the tribe with whom it is desired to make peace. If the inter- 

 viewed chief is satisfied with the terms offered by the other tribe 

 he sends a message back, accompanied by a small present, usually 



