Malaita Province is the most populous of the nine provinces of Solomon Islands. The population of the province is 172,740 as of 2019. The area of the province is .

It is named after its largest island, Malaita (also known as "Big Malaita" or "Maramapaina"). Other islands include South Malaita Island (also called "Small Malaita" or "Maramasike"), Sikaiana Island, and Ontong Java Atoll. Britain defined its area of interest in the Solomons, including Malaita, and central government control of Malaita began in 1893, when Captain Gibson R.N., of , declared the southern Solomon Islands as a British Protectorate with the proclamation of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate.Commonwealth and Colonial Law by Kenneth Roberts-Wray, London, Stevens, 1966. P. 897

The provincial capital and largest urban center is Auki, which was established as the Administrative center for Malaita Province in 1909. Tourism is largely underdeveloped in Malaita; Auki is near to the Langa Langa Lagoon, which provides opportunities for snorkeling, and the villagers provide shell making demonstrations.Matthew Prowse blog . 18 June 2014. Retrieved on 22 March 2015.

The Melanesian population of Malaita has unique cultural traditions in social aspects of life. Brideprice is a tradition which is unique to Malaita compared to the other islands of the Solomon Islands. In this practice the groom's parents present customary money of shells and food to the bride's parents.

Ethnicity The people of the main island are of Melanesian ethnicity. The outer islands of Ontong Java and Sikaiana are of a Polynesian ethnicity and are recognised as Polynesian outliers of Polynesian culture.

Traditional practices Malaitan shell-money, manufactured in the Langa Langa Lagoon, is the traditional currency used in Malaita and throughout the Solomon Islands. The money consists of small polished shell disks which are drilled and placed on strings. It can be used as payment for bride price, funeral feasts and compensation, with the shell-money having a cash equivalent value. It is also worn as an adornment and status symbol. The standard unit, known as the tafuliae, is several strands 1.5 m in length. The shell money is still produced by the people of Langa Langa Lagoon, but much is inherited, from father to son, and the old traditional strings are now rare.

The violation of cultural taboos and practices as well as causing personal offence is considered a cultural affront. Malaita culture calls for the exchange of valuables to ease and resolve the alienation that may thus arise. This is called fa abua or fa okae (compensation).

Reef Islands

The people of Langa Langa Lagoon and Lau Lagoon in Malaita, Solomon Islands built about 60 artificial islands on the reef including Funaafou, Foueda, Sulufou, Saua, Ferasubua and Adagege.

The inhabitants of these lagoons call themselves wane i asi 'sea people' as distinct from wane i tolo 'inland people' who live in the interior of the island. There was a history of conflict between the bush people and the salt-water people. The people of Lau Lagoon build islands on the reef as these provided protection against attack. These islands were formed literally one rock at a time. A family would take their canoe out to the reef which protects the lagoon and then dive for rocks, bring them to the surface and then return to the selected site and drop the rocks into the water. Living on the reef was also healthier as the mosquitoes, which infested the coastal swamps, were not found on the reef islands. The Lau people continue to live on the reef islands.

Administrative divisions Malaita Province is sub-divided into the following constituencies (or electoral districts), which are further sub-divided into wards (with populations at the 2009 and 2019 Censuses respectively):

Name Population (2009 census) Population (2019 census) Total Male Female Total Male Female 16. – North Malaita 12,625 6,350 6,275 15,823 7,983 7,840 16.07. Fo'ondo/Gwaiau 5,532 2,779 2,753 6,588 3,336 3,252 16.08. Malu'u 4,333 2,180 2,153 5,672 2,820 2,852 16.09. Matakwalao 2,760 1,391 1,369 3,563 1,827 1,736 17. – Lau/Mbaelela 14,704 7,314 7,390 18,766 9,310 9,456 17.06. Mandalua/Folotana 2,749 1,383 1,366 3,940 1,965 1,975 17.10. Takwa 10,070 5,002 5,068 12,445 6,164 6,281 17.12. Fouenda 1,885 929 956 2,381 1,181 1,200 18. – Baegu/Asifola 5,647 2,790 2,857 9,531 4,697 4,834 18.11. East Baegu 4,781 2,370 2,411 6,784 3,344 3,440 18.13. Sulufou/Kwarande 866 420 446 2,747 1,353 1,394 19. – Fataleka 7,571 3,851 3,720 10,670 5,315 5,355 19.05. West Baegu/Fataleka 2,477 1,270 1,207 6,220 3,075 3,145 19.14. Sububenu/Burianiasi 5,094 2,581 2,513 4,450 2,240 2,210 20. – West Kwara'ae 15,053 7,675 7,378 18,048 9,226 8,822 20.03. Buma 6,223 3,275 2,948 8,122 4,191 3,931 20.04. Fauabu 8,830 4,400 4,430 9,926 5,035 4,891 21. – Central Kwara'ae 17,273 8,773 8,500 20,355 10,408 9,947 21.02. Aimela 7,639 3,889 3,750 8,730 4,469 4,265 21.29. Keaimela/Radefasu 9,634 4,884 4,750 11,621 5,939 5,682 22. – East Malaita 7,787 3,921 3,866 8,293 4,184 4,109 22.15. Nafinua 4,195 2,125 2,070 4,593 2,322 2,271 22.16. Faumamanu/Kwai 3,592 1,796 1,796 3,700 1,862 1,838 23. – Aoke/Langa Langa 7,027 3,516 3,511 10,133 5,015 5,118 23.01. Auki 5,105 2,592 2,513 7,020 3,535 3,485 23.30. Langalanga 1,922 924 998 3,113 1,480 1,633 24. – East Kwaio 9,509 4,720 4,789 12,291 6,131 6,161 24.17. Gulalofou 6,031 2,995 3,036 8,609 4,316 4,293 24.18. Waneagu/Taelanasina 3,478 1,725 1,753 3,682 1,814 1,868 25. – West Kwaio 10,789 5,488 5,301 13,112 6,639 6,473 25.26. Kwarekwareo 1,921 961 960 2,785 1,394 1,391 25.27. Siesie 3,747 1,883 1,864 4,508 2,296 2,212 25.28. Waneagu Silana Sina 5,121 2,644 2,477 5,819 2,949 2,870 26. – East Are Are 7,099 3,567 3,532 8,199 4,042 4,157 26.19. Aiaisi 3,574 1,815 1,759 4,190 2,063 2,127 26.20. Areare 3,525 1,752 1,773 4,009 1,979 2,030 27. – West Are Are 7,200 3,621 3,579 8,008 4,047 3,961 27.24. Mareho 2,550 1,237 1,313 2,820 1,407 1,413 27.25. Tai 4,650 2,384 2,266 5,188 2,640 2,548 28. – Small Malaita 12,967 6,484 6,483 16,146 8,026 8,120 28.21. Raroisu'u 4,988 2,460 2,528 6,049 3,034 3,015 28.22. Aba/Asimeuru 4,936 2,438 2,498 5,929 2,885 3,044 28.23. Asimae 3,043 1,586 1,457 4,168 2,108 2,061 29. – Malaita Outer Islands 2,345 1,162 1,183 3,365 1,669 1,696 29.31. Luaniua 1,396 697 699 1,965 993 972 29.32. Pelau 700 343 357 1,041 493 548 29.33. Sikaiana 249 122 127 351 183 176 Total 137,596 69,232 68,364 172,740 86,691 86,049

Islands

Adagege Alite Anuta Paina Faore Ferasubua Foueda Funaafou Laulasi Maana'omba Malaita Matuavi Maramasike (South Malaita) Mbasakana Ndai Ontong Java Saua Sikaiana Sulufou Tehaolei

Notes Footnotes

References Roger Keesing, Kwaio Religion: The Living and the Dead in a Solomon Island Society. New York: Columbia University Press, 1982. Roger M. Keesing and Peter Corris. Lightning Meets the West Wind: The Malaita Massacre. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1980. Janet Kent. The Solomon Islands. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 1972. James Page, 'Education and Acculturation on Malaita: An Ethnography of Intraethnic and Interethnic Affinities'.The Journal of Intercultural Studies. 1988. #15/16:74-81; available on-line at http://eprints.qut.edu.au/archive/00003566/. Ples Blong Iumi: Solomon Islands: The Past Four Thousand Years. Honiara: University of the South Pacific, 1989. Harold M. Ross. Baegu: Social and Ecological Organization in Malaita, Solomon Islands. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1973.

External links

Provincial Profile of Malaita by constituency, People First Network Malaita photo gallery from Ministry of Commerce and Tourism Digital Photo Library of Malaita from the People First Network Arnon Atomea distance learning centre, Malaita