Choiseul Province

Coordinates: 7°00′01″S 156°57′50″E / 7.00028°S 156.96389°E / -7.00028; 156.96389
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

7°00′01″S 156°57′50″E / 7.00028°S 156.96389°E / -7.00028; 156.96389

Choiseul Province
Soesol Provins (Pijin)
UTC+11
(+11)
Choiseul and neighbouring islands

Choiseul Province is one of the nine

Santa Isabel Island, and north of Vella la Vella, Kolombangra & New Georgia. It has a population of 36,719 (as of 2020) [1]

The province has three major islands: Choiseul, Wagina, and Rob Roy. Choiseul Island (commonly known as Lauru to the natives) has a land area of 3,294 square kilometres (1,272 sq mi); Wagina's is 243 square kilometres (94 sq mi); Rob Roy's is 200 square kilometres (77 sq mi). Taro Island, the capital of the province, has an area of 1.5 square kilometres (0.58 sq mi).

History

Discovery and naming

When the natives first arrived and discovered the big island, they called it Lauru. Then, in 1568, the Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira rediscovered the island and named it San Marcos ('Saint Mark'). Mendana himself never set foot on Lauru. He called it San Marcos, because he saw the island from Santa Isabel on the Day of Saint Mark.[2]: 121–129 

200 years later in 1768, the

Choiseul.[3]

Today, the two most common names for the island are Choiseul and Lauru. San Marcos is not commonly used in the present day.

Colonial era

Choiseul Province was initially not part of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate (BSIP). Like

Santa Isabel, and the Ontong Islands, it was part of the German Solomon Islands in 1884. Fifteen years later, in 1899, Germany ceded Choiseul, Isabel and Ontong Java to the British to become part of the British Solomon Islands. In 1900, Charles Morris Woodford
, the Resident Commissioner for the Solomon Islands sailed to Choiseul via Isabel on a ship Torch and planted the British flag on Choiseul on 23 August 1900. Proclaiming Choiseul as part of the British Solomon.

During

US marine
forces in October and November 1943. The protectorate (BSIP) set up the Choiseul Council in 1948. The council consisted of representatives of the seven sub districts in Choiseul. It met twice a year with the District Commissioner to discuss its business.

Modern era

Government

Legislative Authority

On 25 February 1992, a separate Choiseul province was created by separation from the Western Province.

It has had the following Premiers:

  • 1992–1996: Hon Clement Kengava
  • 1996–1999: Hon Simmy Vazarabatu Ñ
    Hon Simmy Vazarabatu
  • 1999–2018: Hon Jackson Kiloe[6]
  • 2018–2021: Hon Watson Qoloni
  • 2021–2022: Hon Benjiman Harrison
  • 2023–2024: Hon Tongoua Tabe
  • 2024–(present): Hon Harrison Ngosu Pitakaka

Members to the National Parliament

There are three National Constituencies in Choiseul. However, originally; Choiseul only had 2 constituencies (North & South), as allocated since colonial British. Northwest Choiseul Constituency was created later on; after intensifying political & traditional considerations, and lobbying.

Northeast Choiseul:

  • Late Dr. Gideon Zoleveke (Legislative Council - BSIP)
  • Late Hon. Allan Qurusu
  • Hon. Manasseh Sogavare (1997–present)

Northwest Choiseul:

  • Hon. Alpha Kimata (1992-1997)
  • Hon. Clement Kengava (1997-2009)
  • Hon. Connelly Sandakabatu (2009–2019)
  • Hon. Harry Kuma (Present)

South Choiseul:

  • Hon. Jason Dorovolomo (Legislative Council - BSIP)
  • Hon.Rev Caleb Kotali
  • Hon.Rev Leslie Boseto
  • Hon. Elijah Doro Muala (2009–2019)
  • Hon. Robertson Qalokale (2020)
  • vacant

Mostly, these MPs don't work together well: due to the strong pressure from Kinship Politics, which was strongly influenced by laziness and dependencies by the electorates (enabled by a low literacy, in regard to its total population).

Administrative subdivisions

The Choiseul Province is sub-divided into the following wards:

  • Choiseul Province (26,372)
    • Wagina
      (1,636)
    • Katupika (1,988)
    • Vasipuki (1,574)
    • Viviru (1,499)
    • Babatana (1,746)
    • Tepazaka (1,680)
    • Batava (4,931)
    • Tavula (2,487)
    • Polo (1,719)
    • Bangera (1,158)
    • Susuka (1,726)
    • Senga (1,848)
    • Kerepangara (1,140)
    • Kirugela (1,240)

Infrastructure

Health

The Choiseul Provincial Health Service (CPHS) has 26 health facilities around the province. The main referral provincial hospital is the Taro Hospital. The hospital is based on the Taro Island which is also the island capital of the province. It is the first certified Baby Friendly Hospital in the Solomon Islands in October 2010. And awarded the shield by UNICEF and WHO. The award means that Taro Hospital advocates for exclusive breastfeeding for babies up to six months before introduction of soft diet. The hospital also does not encourage artificial and bottle feeding of babies. It also has links to community groups that support, protect and promote the practice of exclusive breast feeding of babies within Taro Hospital catchment area.

The Choiseul Provincial Health Service is also very active in health promotion and education targeting the rural population. It pays emphasis on preventative activities down to the rural areas with the help of community groups, churches and donor partners.

Taro Hospital offers the following primary health programs, reproductive health on ante natal and post natal care, childhealth on immunization, nutrition and breastfeeding practices, non communicable disease, mental health services and malaria program.

Telecommunication

Solomon Telekom Company Limited is the sole provider of both landline and mobile phone communication in the province. Telekom's office is in Taro. Landline phone communication can only be found only on Taro Island. However, Telekom also covers the island with mobile phone towers. Currently, its mobile phone towers are in Pangoe Village, Kagaloga, Sasamuqa and Wagina. In June 2014, Our Telekom added two new mobile towers, one on Ropa Island, in South Choiseul and the second at Ogho village, North West Choiseul.

Two way VHF radio can also be found in the villages, churches, schools and clinics.

Culture

Religion

The first missionaries that came to Choiseul were the Methodists. The first attempt by the Methodist Ministers led by Rev John Goldie was made in 1904, but, was unsuccessful. In 1905, a second attempt was made by Rev Stephen Rabone Rooney, this time on the South of Choiseul at Sasamuqa, which was successful, leading to the first mission established in Sasamuqa village in 1905. The missionaries were instrumental in the introduction of education and health to the population. The three denominations involved in Missionary work in Choiseul were the Methodists, Catholics and the Seventh Day Adventists."

Deaconess Iula Qilanoba, the first Methodist deaconess from the Solomon Islands, was a native of Choiseul Province.[7]

People

The people consists of several

head hunting and blackbirding
were widespread in the Solomon Islands. This led to the extinction of the people on Wagina in the 1870s. Even in the 20th century the Choiseul islanders were ill-reputed as brutal cannibals so that visitors only came with armed forces to that island. In 1916 there were brutal feuds between the several tribes which were ended by the peace treaty of Sasamungga on 8 August 1921. This event, called Kulabule, is a holiday on Choiseul.

Music

Traditionally, people in Choiseul use bamboos for traditional flutes. Now these traditional music is only performed in custom ceremonies. One of the string bands from Choiseul was the Sirovanga Boys. Their best known song being "seni memory." Another group from Choiseul in the early 2000s was the band Savoto. Their hit songs include "inaka mach" and "Ke siro."

Football

The inhabitants of Choiseul are soccer enthusiasts. They have a team called Lauru Kuvojo, which in 2005 took part at the

Solomon-Cup
, the national football championship of the Solomon Islands. They have finished their participation already in the preliminary round. In November 2012 the bi-annual Kuvojo Cup was held with a team representing the provincial capital Taro winning against a team from Senga ward. Most of the 14 wards throughout Choiseul sent representative teams to participate at the Kuvojo Cup tournament in both soccer and netball.

Geography and environment

Flora and fauna

The flora and fauna are both characteristic of Australia and New Guinea. The biggest mammal is the endangered

Choiseul crested pigeon (Microgoura meeki). Choiseul is also an important breeding place for the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). The flora is represented by mangroves and coconuts
.

Environmental issues

Commercial logging continues to operate in Choiseul throughout the entire province. A nickel mine is being planned in Katupika at the Choiseul mine and will see over 2,000 hectares (7.7 sq mi) cleared to gain access to nickel deposits over the life of the mining operation,[8] although no mining license has been issued as of 2020.[9] Prospecting for gold has also occurred close to Susuka in north Choiseul.[10] A proposal to establish over 4,000 hectares (15 sq mi) in north Choiseul as oil palm plantation will also have significant environmental impact.

Islands

References

  1. ^ "Choiseul - Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, Solomon Islands". www.mpgis.gov.sb. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  2. .
  3. ^ Bougainville, Louis Antoine de (1772) [1771]. Voyage autour du monde [A Voyage Round the World Performed by Order of His Most Christian Majesty In the Year 1766, 1767, 1768, and 1769]. Translated by Foster, John Reinhold. London: J. Nourse. p. 32.
  4. ^ "Choiseul". Archived from the original on 6 May 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  5. ^ "Gov't okays Choiseul's budget". Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  6. ^ Valley 2017.
  7. ^ Moore, Clive. "Qilanoba, Iula (Ula) – Biographical entry – Solomon Islands Historical Encyclopaedia". www.solomonencyclopaedia.net. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  8. ^ "Impact of mining on Choiseul island" (PDF). smm.co.jp. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  9. ^ Wasuka, Evan (10 September 2020). "Women's group say plan for Solomons nickel mine a threat to endangered turtles". ABC Pacific Beat. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  10. ^ Choiseul Province Medium Term Development Plan 2012-2014

Reference bibliography

External links