An annotated bibliography of Solomon Islands folklore

Below is an annotated bibliography of Solomon Islands folklore. See the main bibliography page for more details. Please send comments and corrections to me.

For Bougainville and Buka Islands (North Solomons Province of Papua New Guinea), see the separate bibliography for North Solomons Province in Papua New Guinea.

A “*” following a reference indicates that I have not seen.

Solomon Islands

• Alasa’a, sa Samuel; Lebekwau, sa Moses; Maefatafata, ’i; Osifera, sa Aisa; Takangwane, sa Filiga; Kwa’ioloa, Michael; Burt, Ben; & Bako, George (1990). Falafala Kwara’ae Ki: ’Ania Fata’a Kwara’ae Fa’inia Fata’a / Kwara’ae Traditions. Suva, Fiji: University of the South Pacific, 50 pp., illsutrated. In Kwara’ae and English.
• Anonymous (n.d.) Custom Stories. In English and Solomon Islands Pijin. *
• Anonymous (1961). Journey through the ground and other stories from the Solomon Islands. Honiara: South Pacific Commission, Literature Production Training Centre, 26 pp., illustrated. * Out of print.
• Anonymous (1995). Custom stories from Choiseul. Gizo, Solomon Islands: Western Province Office / Suva, Fiji: Institute of Pacific Studies, 74 pp., illustrated. * Out of print.
• Bathgate, Murray Alexander (1991). Three Folk Stories from West Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Wellington, New Zealand: Alexander Enterprise, 8 pp. * Out of print.
• Bauman, Kay (1998). Solomon Island Folktales from Malaita. Danbury, CT: Rutledge Books, 100 pp. This book presents 23 tales along with detailed explanations of each folktale from the Baegu People. *
• Blackwood, Beatrice (1935). Both Sides of Buka Passage: An Ethnographic Study of Social, Sexual and Economic Questions in the North-western Solomon Islands. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 624 pp., illustrated. *
• Burt, Ben (1998). “Writing local history in Solomon Islands.” In: Pacific Answers to Western Hegemony: Cultural Practices of Indentity Construction (Explorations in Anthropology), Jürg Wassman, ed. Oxford: Berg, 384 pp. This is regarding the Kwara’ae People on pp. 97-118. *
• Davis, Karen (1991). Vivinei Ruruhu pa Hoava / Custom Stories from Hoava. Gizo, Western Province, Solomon Islands: Western Province Government, 57 pp., illustrated. * Out of print.
• Doak, Wade (1975). Sharks and Other Ancestors: Patterns of Survival in the South Seas. Auckland, New Zealand: Hodder and Stoughton, 333 pp., illustrated. *
• Elbert, Samuel H. & Kirtley, Bacil F. (1966). “Seven Pileni tales.” Journal of the Polynesian Society 75: 348-372. *
• Elbert, Samuel H. (1970). “Paradox of tale and song in Rennellese.” Proceedings of the International Congress of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences 7: 13-19. In Russian? *
• Fairbrother, H. Trevor (1924). “The tale of the tembu tree; or, the four boys and the four ogres. From the Malaita (To’a Baita) Told by Foalandoa, and put into English by H. Trevor Fairbrother.” Journal of the Polynesian society 33: 114-120.
• Fairbrother, H. Trevor (1925). “Tale of Fambumu and his wives Betinaoa and Nosonaoa. From the eastern Solomon Islands.” Journal of the Polynesian society 34: 36-60. *
• Feinberg, Richard (1989). “Possible prehistoric contacts between Tonga and Anuta.” Journal of the Polynesian Society 98: 303-317. *
• Feinberg, Richard (1998). Oral Traditions of Anuta: A Polynesian Outlier in the Solomon Islands. Oxford Studies in Anthropological Linguistics 15. New York: Oxford University Press, 294 pp., illustrated. This book presents folktales of the Anuta People. *
• Firth, Raymond (2001). “Tikopia dreams: personal images of social reality.” Journal of the Polynesian Society 110: 7-29. *
• Firth, Raymond (1961). History and Traditions of Tikopia. Wellington, New Zealand: Polynesian Society, 203 pp., illustrated. Reprinted by the University of Hawaii Press. *
• Foliga, Nemuel (1973). The Large Hungry Eel, and Other Animal Stories. Honiara, B.S.I.P. Solomon Islands Catholic Association?, 12 pp., illustrated. * Out of print.
• Fox, Charles Elliot (1924). The Threshold of the Pacific: An Account of the social Organization, Magic and Religion of the People of San Cristoval in the Solomon Islands. London: K. Paul, Trench, Trubner, 379 pp., illustrated. *
• Fox, Charles Elliot (1984). Unpublished manuscripts: Materials include Fox’s manuscript for a dictionary, grammar, and transcribed tales of the Arosi language of San Cristobal Island; a dictionary and grammar of the Lau language of Malaita; and a photocopy of his article Beliefs and tales of San Cristoval. San Diego: Melanesian Archive, University of California. These pertain to the Arosi and Lau Peoples. The inventory is available on-line. *
• Gregory, M. (1995). More Custom Stories from Choiseul. Gizo, Solomon Islands: Western Province Office, 74 pp., illustrated. * Out of print.
• Haussmann, Eberhard (1994). Vogel in der Kultur der Mbirao: Ergebnisse ethnoornithologischerund ethnotaxonomischer Untersuchungen in einer Ethnie der Salomonen. [Birds in the Culture of the Mbirao: Results Ethno-ornithological, Ethno-taxonomic Investigations in a Ethnology of the Solomon Islands] Bonn: Holos Verlag, 345 pp. Based on the author’s dissertation. * Out of print.
• Hogbin, H. Ian (1969). Experiments in Civilization: The Effects of European Culture on a Native Community of the Solomon Islands. 2^nd edition, New York: Schocken Books, 268 pp., illustrated. The mythology of the Busama people is discussed on pp. 116, 117 and 187.
• Irooru, Eliel F. et al. (1973). The Kind Turtle and Other Animal Stories, by Solomon Islanders. Honiara, B.S.I.P., Solomon Islands Catholic Association?, 11 pp., illustrated. * Out of print.
• Ito, Seiji; Daigaku, Keio Gijuku; & Kenkyushitsu, Minzokugaku Kokogaku (1978). Renneru-to no Setsuwa to Takaikan. Tokyo: Gakuseisha, 47 pp., illustrated. In Japanese. This book is on the folklore of Rennell Island. * Out of print.
• Ivens, Walter George (1927). Melanesians of the South-east Solomon Islands. London: K. Paul, Trench, Trubner, 529 pp., illsutrated. Reprinted by Ayer. *
• Ivens, Walter George (1930). The Island Builders of the Pacific; How & Why the People of Mala Construct their Artificial Islands, the Antiquity & Doubtful Origin of the Practice, with a Description of the Social Organization, Magic & Religion of their Inhabitants. London: Seeley, Service, 317 pp., illustrated. Reprinted by AMS Press. *
• Keevil, Dick, ed. (1972). Custom stories. Honiara: The Solomon Islands Museum Association, 46 pp., illustrated.
• Kirtley, Bacil F. (1973). “Animal tales from Rennell and Bellona.” Journal of the Polynesian Society 82: 241-265. *
• Lieber, Michael D. (1976). “Riddles, cultural categories, and world view.” Journal of American Folklore 89: 255-265.
• Ma’aramo, N. (1977). “An Explanatory Myth from the Solomon Islands.” Oral History 2(7): 31-33. *
• Maranda, Elli-Kaija Kongas (1976). “Theorie et pratique de l’analyse de l’enigme.” [Theory and practices of the analysis of riddles.] Cahiers d’Anthropologie de l’Universite de Laval 1: 103-123. *
• Makini, Jully, ed. (1991). Na Buka Vivinei Malivi pa Zinama Roviana / Roviana Custom Stories Book. Solomon Islands: Western Province Government, 86 pp., illustrated. “These stories were collected by Sister Lina Jones and by the Rev. E.C. Leadley in the 1930s and 1940s at Kokeqolo, Roviana Lagoon.” Introduction in Roviana and English, text in Roviana. * Out of print.
• Miller, Daniel (1980). “Settlement and diversity in the Solomon Islands.” Man 15: 451-466.
• Monberg, Torben & Kuschel, Rolf (1981). Na Tautupu’a o Mugaba ma Mungiki / Tales from Rennell and Bellona. Copenhagen: National Museum of Denmark, 78 pp., illustrated. In Rennellese and English. * Out of print.
• Monnerie, Denis (1988). Nitu. Les vivants, les morts et le cosmos selon la société de Mono-Alu (Iles Salomon) [The living, the dead and the cosmos according to the Mono-Alu (Solomon Islands)]. Ph.D. Thesis, Lille, France: Universite de Lille, 511 pp., illustrated. This thesis presents an analysis of Gerald Camden Wheeler’s work. This was published in 1996 in Leiden by the Research School CNWS. * Out of print:
• Ouou, Emulio-Ree (1980). History of South Malaita, Origin of Livings, Centre and Diameter of the Universe. Honiara: Government Printer, 208 pp., illustrated. *
• Roga, Kenneth (1989). Na Tututi Moa pa Ghanogga: Za Tavakarovo Betoko Zata Kuti pa Paranga / Historical tales of Ranongga Island. Gizo, Western Province, Solomon Islands: Western Province Government, 31 pp., illustrated. In Ranongga and English. * Out of print.
• Rugebatu, Colin; Gacinao; Dorovoga, Denis; Aqiqiseko, Emmaq; Sivalakana, Albert; Pitamama, Gerardo; Konasa, Christopher; Likaveke, Dominic; Sadakabatu, Cornelly; Kaegavavine, Rosa; Podekesa, Stephen; Mazalatura, Angela; Kulabule, Paul; Vuleununa, Teresia; Vanapagi, Mary; & Vigavavene, Julie (1995). Custom Stories from Choiseul. Western Province Office, 74 pp., illustrated by children from the Gizo Primary School. Eleven folktales. Diglot in English and Choiseul Island languages.
• Seller, Robbyn (1996). Tall Tales of Tradition: Solomon Island Kastom Stories in Transition. Master’s Thesis. Montreal: McGill University, 148 pp. *
• Scott, Michael W. (1990-91). “Constitutions of Maasina Rule: Timothy George and the Iora.” Chicago Anthropology Exchange 19: 41-65. * This article discusses socio-cultural aspects of mythology of Malaita Island and draws upon the work of Ivens (1927).
• Scott, Michael W. (2000). “Ignorance is cosmos; knowledge is chaos: Articulating a Cosmological Polarity in the Solomon Islands.” Social Analysis 44: 56-83. * This article discusses socio-cultural aspects of mythology of the Arosi People and analyzes the work of Fox.
• Scott, Michael W. (2001). Auhenua: Land, Lineage, and Ontology in Arosi (Solomon Islands). Ph.D. Thesis, Chicago: University of Chicago, 382 pages. Available through University Microfilms. * This thesis discusses socio-cultural aspects of mythology of the Arosi People and analyzes the work of Fox.
• Scott, Michael W. (2007). The Severed Snake: Matrilineages, Making Place, and a Melanesian Christianity in Southeast Solomon Islands. Carolina Academic Press, 414 pp. * This book is an ethnographic study of the socio-culture aspects of the mythology and cosmology of the Arosi people on Makira Island. It focuses on the ways in which Arosi traditions and folklore connect people to their land. Two chapters are devoted to the comparative study of snake mythology. There is also a reanalysis of the Makiran snake, Hatoibwari, from Fox (1924).
• Solomon, Serenah & Padakana, Ezekiel (1995). Vivinei malivi oro Ninu Mekarane pa Vangunu / Custom Stories and Way of Life of People of Vangunu. Gizo, Western Province, Solomon Islands: Western Province Government / Suva, Fiji: Institute of Pacific Studies, 59 pp., illustrated. * Out of print.
• Stubbs, Laurence (1989). Manoga Maka Vavakato pa Ganoqa / Eleven stories from Ranongga. Gizo, Western Province, Solomon Islands: Western Province Government, 69 pp., illustrated. In Kubokota and English. * Out of print.
• Stubbs, Laurence (1991). Kaki Vavakato pa Ganoqa / More stories from Ranongga. Gizo, Western Province, Solomon Islands: Western Province Government, 97 pp., illustrated. In Kubokota and English. * Out of print.
• Tedder, M. M. & Tedder, J. L. O. (1974). Yams: A Description of their Cultivation on Quadalcanal [Guadalcanal] in the Solomon Islands. Noumea, New Caledonia: South Pacific Commission, 85 pp., illustrated. South Pacific Commission Technical Paper 169. This book discusses the folklore of yams. *
• Terrell, John Edward & Purupuru, Sampson (1972). “A tale from the South Pacific.” Bulletin of the Field Museum of Natural History 43(3): 12-18, illustrated. *
• Thurnwald, Richard (1912). Forschungen auf den Salomo-Inseln und dem Bismarck-Archipel. [Research on the Solomon Islands and the Bismarck Archipelago] Berlin: D. Reimer, 5 volumes, illsutrated. * Out of print.
• Tua, Benjamin & Lincoln, Peter C. (1979). Our Custom Way Vanikoro: The Custom Book. Auckland, New Zealand; University of Auckland, 34 pp. In Teanu and other languages, and translated into English. * Out of print.
• Ulufa’alu, Bartholomew (1977). “From the Solomon Islands.” Oral History 5(3): 119-125. This article presents a myth from Malaita Island (Malalibore Village).
• Wheeler, Gerald Camden (1912). “Two tales in Mono speech (Bougainville Strait).” Man 12: 21-24.
• Wheeler, Gerald Camden (1913) “Six tales from the Bougainville Strait, Western Solomon Islands.” Anthropophyteia (Leipzig) 10: 262-80.
• Wheeler, Gerald Camden (1972 [1926]). Mono-Alu Folklore (Bougainville Strait, Western Solomon Islands. New York: Benjamin Blom, 396 pp. The Mono-Alu People are from the Solomon Islands, immediately to the southeast of Bougainville Island. See Monnerie (1988) for analysis of Wheeler’s work.
  

  © 2007 by Thomas H. Slone.

  Last modified March 31, 2007