Basiana (early 1880s – June 19, 1928) was a native leader of the

Kwaio Kwaio is an ethnic group found in central Malaita, in the Solomon Islands. According to Ethnologue, they numbered 13,249 in 1999. Much of what is known about the Kwaio is due to the work of the anthropologist Roger M. Keesing, who lived among t ...

group on

Malaita Malaita is the primary island of Malaita Province in Solomon Islands. Malaita is the most populous island of the Solomon Islands, with a population of 161,832 as of 2021, or more than a third of the entire national population. It is also the se ...

in the

Solomon Islands Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capita ...

. He was a powerful and feared

ramo {{other uses A ramo ( Kwaio: ''lamo'') was a warrior-leader among certain tribes on Malaita in the Solomon Islands. A ramo was recognized when he had killed an adversary in personal combat, and established an intimidating reputation. This was also ...

(bounty hunter), and came from a line of prominent leaders, feastgivers, and warriors of the Gounaile clan. He is known in the West as the killer of William R. Bell, the colonial District Officer, for which he and his co-conspirators were hanged. He was the only son and the eldest of his first cousins, so he was groomed for this position from an early age. Unlike many members of his clan, he did not go to

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...

to work. As an adult, he became one of the most feared ramo of the time, and was remembered as able to kill with ruthlessness and fearlessness that intimidated those around him. He is also remembered for his obsession with honour and strict enforcement of Kwaio norms. Basiana's success gave great quantities of wealth to his clan from his collection of

blood money Blood money may refer to: * Blood money (restitution), money paid to the family of a murder victim Films * Blood Money (1917 film), ''Blood Money'' (1917 film), a film starring Harry Carey * Blood Money (1921 film), ''Blood Money'' (1921 film ...

, which in turn contributed to the prestige of the clan as they offered feasts. In the 1920s, Basiana and the other strongmen saw their power slipping under the new colonial regime, which was making inroads into Malaita led by the Malaita District Officer Bell. They saw the threat of the Protectorate justice, as some Kwaio had been hanged in

Tulagi Tulagi, less commonly known as Tulaghi, is a small island——in Solomon Islands, just off the south coast of Ngella Sule. The town of the same name on the island (pop. 1,750) was the capital of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate from 18 ...

for the sort of killing that they did. Furthermore, they resented the imposition of a

head tax A poll tax, also known as head tax or capitation, is a tax levied as a fixed sum on every liable individual (typically every adult), without reference to income or resources. Head taxes were important sources of revenue for many governments fr ...

on all Malaitans, and the efforts of the colonial authorities to confiscate their rifles. Finally, they resented the increased power of the newly commissioned constables, who were given power by the colonial authorities. In 1927 Basiana and two other ramo planned an attack on Bell as he made his annual tax collection rounds. Others, aware of the strength of Europeans from their experience abroad or afraid from premonitions in a dream, tried to discourage the attack, but Basiana dismissed their concerns and was able to coerce others into following him. On October 4, Basiana paid his tax, withdrew, and then reappeared at the front of the queue and plunged his rifle into Bell's head with such strength his head virtually exploded. Other members of the party attacked, and most of the tax collection party were killed. In retaliation for this killing, the colonial authorities launched a

punitive expedition A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a political entity or any group of people outside the borders of the punishing state or union. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong behavio ...

to root out the plotters of the attack and bring them to justice. Basiana, as the most wanted man, kept on the move and was able to evade the search parties. But later he surrendered, as he received news about the extent of the damage of the punitive expedition. Along with 200 other detainees, he was held in facilities in Tulagi for several months, awaiting trial. Along with five others he was convicted of murder and sentenced to be hanged. He was hanged publicly on June 19, with his two sons watching. Basiana's eldest son Anifelo, raised to be a ramo as well, went on to become a police drummer, evangelist, and anticolonial political leader. He had one other son and one daughter.

General references

* Roger M. Keesing and Peter Corris. ''Lightning Meets the West Wind: The Malaita Massacre''. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1980. {{DEFAULTSORT:Basiana 1880s births 1928 deaths 1927 murders in Oceania Kwaio people 20th-century executions by the United Kingdom People executed by the British Solomon Islands by hanging People executed for murder Executed Solomon Islands people Solomon Islands people convicted of murder People convicted of murder by the Solomon Islands People from Malaita Province