Landownership, Livelihoods and Sustainable Development in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands

This study situates the concepts of land ownership and rights in the contexts of both local and modern tenures in Melanesia. Guadalcanal Island is one that hosts extractive industries and plantation activities and was the focus of inter-wantok tensions emanating from land between 1998 and 2003 in the Solomon Islands. As such, local concepts used in this paper are from Guadalcanal's local epistemology. Nevertheless, the general focus of the paper discusses the distinct features of two conflicting philosophies on land: 'indigenous' and 'introduced' that exist in Melanesia. With a clearer understanding of how Melanesians view land, we would be in a position to appreciate why current confusions on land tenure and ownership exist. The paper attempts to respond to a prevailing question. " Were exclusive ownership of land and titling through land titles compatible with local concepts of tribal ownership of land, the right to access land and the web of relationships involved " ? A closer scrutiny of current situations on land is also made to throw light into the unlikely marriage between these conflicting systems and highlight the possibility that if not properly handled, may bring disharmony and economic chaos in Melanesian countries like Solomon Islands. The paper concludes with suggestions that could possibly facilitate sustainable development efforts in the Solomon Islands in particular and Melanesia more generally. Abstract (in Lengo Language, East Tathiboko, North Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands) Na tatavu mana 'tuvatu a deni ngi, e naua na tugu tatea e ghua ba na ghanaghana ma na momono ni ghita i vanuada i Solomone mana ghanaghana ni manepura tena talili na pari. Na pukue na kokomu i Guadalcanal a sakai na kokomu i Solomone te thudu gai e vonu na agutu ni sodo rongo Land Ownership, Livelihoods and Sustainable Development in Melanesia - ResearchGate. Available from: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/272780026_Land_Ownership_Livelihoods_and_Sustainable_Development_in_Melanesia [accessed Mar 25, 2015]