![Choiseulandneighbourhood](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Choiseulandneighbourhood.png)
Choiseul Province is one of the nine
provinces of Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is divided into nine provinces. The national capital, Honiara, on the island of Guadalcanal, is separately governed as the country's Honiara, Capital Territory.
History
Under the British Solomon Islands, British Solomon Islan ...
. It lies southeast of
Bougainville (part of
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
), west of
Santa Isabel Island
Santa Isabel Island (also known as Isabel, Ysabel and Mahaga) is the longest in Solomon Islands, the third largest in terms of surface area, and the largest in the group of islands in Isabel Province.
Location and geographic data
Choiseul lies t ...
, and north of Vella la Vella, Kolombangra & New Georgia. It has a population of 36,719 (as of 2020)
The province has three major islands:
Choiseul,
Wagina
Wagina Island (also Wiginna Island sometimes spelled Vaghena Island) is a small island in the country of Solomon Islands. The easiest way to reach Wagina is by plane to Kaghau Airport, Choiseul Province, from Honiara (currently twice a week). Fro ...
, and
Rob Roy.
Choiseul Island (commonly known as Lauru to the natives) has a land area of ; Wagina's is ; Rob Roy's is .
Taro Island
Taro Island is a small island in Solomon Islands with 507 inhabitants. It is the capital of Choiseul Province and is located in Choiseul Bay off the northwest coast.
Taro Island is home to the Choiseul Bay Airport, served by Solomon Airlines wi ...
, the capital of the province, has an area of .
History
Discovery and naming
When the natives first arrived and discovered the big island, they called it Lauru. Then, in 1568, the
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
explorer
Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira
Álvaro de Mendaña y Neira (or Neyra) (1 October 1542 – 18 October 1595) was a Spanish navigator and discoverer, best known for two of the earliest recorded expeditions across the Pacific in 1567 and 1595. His voyages led to the discovery of ...
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.
200 years later in 1768, the
French explorer
Louis Antoine de Bougainville
Louis-Antoine, Comte de Bougainville (, , ; 12 November 1729 – August 1811) was a French admiral and explorer. A contemporary of the British explorer James Cook, he took part in the Seven Years' War in North America and the American Revolution ...
saw the island again and named it Choiseul after the
Minister of foreign affairs
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...
and statesman
Choiseul.
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
Buka, Bougainville (both now part of Papua New Guinea's
North Solomons Province
Bougainville ( ; ; Tok Pisin: ''Bogenvil''), officially the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (Tok Pisin: ''Otonomos Region bilong Bogenvil''), is an autonomous region in Papua New Guinea. The largest island is Bougainville Island, while the re ...
),
Santa Isabel, and the Ontong Islands, it was part of the
German Solomon Islands
The Northern Solomons were the more northerly group of islands in the Solomon Islands (archipelago) over which Germany declared a protectorate in 1885. Initially, the German Solomon Islands Protectorate included, in the south-east, Choiseu ...
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
The British Solomon Islands Protectorate was first declared over the southern Solomons in 1893, when Captain Gibson, R.N., of , declared the southern islands a British protectorate. Other islands were subsequently declared to form part o ...
. In 1900, Charles Woodford, the Resident Commissioner for the Solomon Islands sailed to Choiseul via Isabel on a ship named Torch and planted the British flag on Choiseul on 23 August 1900. Proclaiming Choiseul as part of the British Solomon. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, North West Choiseul, along the Nukiki to Voza corridor was partly occupied by
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
ese military forces whose garrison was
raided by
US marine
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
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
* logging in Choiseul. Eagon Resource Company Limited is the first logging company to operate in Choiseul when it landed in Moli in 1989.
* 25 June 2010- MV.San Marcos, the second ship of Lauru Shipping is commissioned in Taro. San Marcos is a cargo boat of 35 meter, 340 tonne, 250 cubic metres loading capacity and can travel at 10 knots. The vessel was bought from Japan for SB$3.7 million
S$445,000with funds from the national government SB$1 million
S$12,000 Taiwan Government SB$1 million, Lauru Shipping Company SB$1.6 million
S$193,000and South Choiseul Constituency SB$100,000
S$12,000* Taro Township. The Choiseul Township Project Office was established in 2008.A short term Land Consultant that has been engaged since 2009 who facilitated the process of acquiring the perpetual estate, parcel 015-002-4 which was purchased under the Sales and Purchase Agreement. Then on 21 December 2011 in the village of Poroporo, The Minister of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, Hon. Walter Folotalu presided over the signing ceremony of the procurement of perpetual estate to the Provincial Government. On that day the Minister handed over a cheque of $4 million as part payment of the purchase price of ten million and forty thousand dollars for a piece of land. The payment was made to the land owners in the mainland.
* First Generator Housefor Taro was built in 2011. It is a diesel generator. It was brought in time for to provide lights for the first Premier's Conference to be held in Choiseul later that year.
*Airport upgrade and Terminal Taro airport was upgraded in 2011 with its first terminal in 2011. It was also fenced all around as well. The terminal building was funded by PGSP.
* New Provincial Assembly Hall was built and completed in 2011 with support from the PGSP funding. It was built purposely in time to accommodate the Premiers' Conference in Taro.
* Taro New concrete wharf was built in 2011 to replace the old wooden wharf.
* New Computer Lab for Choiseul Bay Provincial Secondary School was built in 2012. The only Provincial Secondary School in the province.
* In April 2013, the first EFTOS machine was installed by Westpac Bank in the capital Taro as an in store service. Launching the service is Hon.Elijah Doromuala, the parliament member for South Choiseul. However, it not is sustainable, and no longer available.
* During the Choiseul Provincial election that was held in October 2013 history was made when 4 women candidates compete in the election. This is the first time women are competing at the provincial level since Choiseul became a province. None won a seat in the 14 seat Provincial Assembly.
* In 2014 financial year, the Province's annual budget is $15,004,189.00 (SBD) of which $5,729,704.00 is recurrent expenditure and $9,274,485.00 is capital expenditure.
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
*1996–2000: Hon Simmy Vazarabatu
*2000–2018: Hon Jackson Kiloe
*2018–(Present): Hon Watson Qoloni
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
Wagina Island (also Wiginna Island sometimes spelled Vaghena Island) is a small island in the country of Solomon Islands. The easiest way to reach Wagina is by plane to Kaghau Airport, Choiseul Province, from Honiara (currently twice a week). Fro ...
(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.
People
The people consists of several
Melanesian
Melanesian is the adjectival form of Melanesia. It may refer to:
* Melanesians
* Melanesian mythology
* Melanesian languages In linguistics, Melanesian is an obsolete term referring to the Austronesian languages of Melanesia: that is, the Oceani ...
tribes including the
Gilbertese
Gilbertese or taetae ni Kiribati, also Kiribati (sometimes ''Kiribatese''), is an Austronesian language spoken mainly in Kiribati. It belongs to the Micronesian branch of the Oceanic languages.
The word ''Kiribati'', the current name of the i ...
who live on Wagina. In the 19th century
head hunting
Headhunting is the practice of hunting a human and collecting the severed head after killing the victim, although sometimes more portable body parts (such as ear, nose or scalp) are taken instead as trophies. Headhunting was practiced in his ...
and
blackbirding
Blackbirding involves the coercion of people through deception or kidnapping to work as slaves or poorly paid labourers in countries distant from their native land. The term has been most commonly applied to the large-scale taking of people in ...
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
dugong
The dugong (; ''Dugong dugon'') is a marine mammal. It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest m ...
, a
seacow
The Sirenia (), commonly referred to as sea-cows or sirenians, are an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit swamps, rivers, estuaries, marine wetlands, and coastal marine waters. The Sirenia currently comprise two distinct ...
which occurs in the waters near Rob Roy and Taro Island. The largest reptile is the
saltwater crocodile
The saltwater crocodile (''Crocodylus porosus'') is a crocodilian native to saltwater habitats and brackish wetlands from India's east coast across Southeast Asia and the Sundaic region to northern Australia and Micronesia. It has been listed ...
(''Crocodylus porosus'') known from Australia. Known birds are the
Sanford's fish eagle (''Haliaeetus sanfordi''), the
Pacific black duck
The Pacific black duck (''Anas superciliosa''), commonly known as the PBD, is a dabbling duck found in much of Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and many islands in the southwestern Pacific, reaching to the Caroline Islands in the no ...
(''Anas superciliosa''), and the
eastern reef egret
The Pacific reef heron (''Egretta sacra''), also known as the eastern reef heron or eastern reef egret, is a species of heron found throughout southern Asia and Oceania. It occurs in two colour morphs with either slaty grey or pure white pluma ...
(''Egretta sacra''). Until the beginning of the 20th century, it was the only habitat of the now extinct
Choiseul crested pigeon
The Choiseul pigeon (''Microgoura meeki'') is an extinct species of bird in the pigeon and dove family, Columbidae. It was endemic to the island of Choiseul in the Solomon Islands, although there are unsubstantiated reports that it may once hav ...
(''Microgoura meeki''). Choiseul is also an important breeding place for the
loggerhead sea turtle
The loggerhead sea turtle (''Caretta caretta'') is a species of oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around in carapace length when fully ...
(''Caretta caretta''). The flora is represented by
mangrove
A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evoluti ...
s and
coconut
The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
s.
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 cleared to gain access to nickel deposits over the life of the mining operation,
although no mining license has been issued as of 2020.
Prospecting for gold has also occurred close to Susuka in north Choiseul.
[Choiseul Province Medium Term Development Plan 2012-2014] A proposal to establish over in north Choiseul as oil palm plantation will also have significant environmental impact.
Islands
*
Bembalama
*
Choiseul
*
Cyprian Bridge
*
Kaghau
*
Laena
* Nanagho
*
Nuatambu
*
Rob Roy
*
Saerema
*
Taro
Taro () (''Colocasia esculenta)'' is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, and petioles. Taro corms are a food staple in Africa ...
*
Moli Island
*
Zinoa Islands
*
Supizae Island
* Parama Island
*
Butuburu Island
*
Kundakaniboko Island
*
Wagina
Wagina Island (also Wiginna Island sometimes spelled Vaghena Island) is a small island in the country of Solomon Islands. The easiest way to reach Wagina is by plane to Kaghau Airport, Choiseul Province, from Honiara (currently twice a week). Fro ...
References
Reference bibliography
*
External links
Information about Choiseul (engl.)History of Choiseul (engl.)Exploring Solomons - Choiseul page
{{Authority control
Provinces of the Solomon Islands
States and territories established in 1995