About Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands are two parallel chains of volcanic islands and small coral atolls in the south-western Pacific. The country is mainly mountainous and covered in forests, although it has some extensive plains. Solomon Islands’ nearest neighbours are Vanuatu to the south-east and Papua New Guinea to the west.
Region
Language
Official language is English, however, there are 63 distinct languages spoken in the islands though Pijin or Pidgin English is also used by most people as a common
Population
686,900 (2022)
Area
30,407km²
High Commissioner
No High Commission in UK, Honorary Consul is John Freeman
Capital
Honiara
Joined Commonwealth
1978, following independence from Britain
Episode guests
John Freeman
Honorary Consul for Solomon Islands
John Freeman (honorary consul for Solomon Islands) was a magistrate, judge and public prosecutor there from 1983 – 86. He worked in every part of the islands, and had a few adventures, which he has recently written about in his memoirs. He has been back to Solomon Islands several times since then, and still has many friends there. Since 1989 he has been a judge in England and Wales.
City Sunset
At six
the sun sets
escorted by puffs of blushing clouds,
distributing its last golden wealth
to the immediate heaven
while the whole cosmos
turns green and blue with envy
The mountains stretching —
a huge black cat
motionless on a blue watery carpet
eyes red green and white
staring into the evening.
The moon,
a silent diamond ring
in the sky,
hangs precariously
while beneath it,
like a glittering jewel
cushioned by the blue carpet,
the humming city nestles cosily to rest.
Miro
A translation into Pijin by Jerolyn Vili of the Poem ‘La Glace’ by Richard Bellon (Original Version Copyright Richard Bellon)
Fes blong iu lo miro
Hem barava fevaret stori blong mi
Bat iu mas kuik taem bifo hem disapia
Hem last taem blong mi, mi barava lavem iu
Civilised Girl
Cheap perfume
Six-inch heels
Skin-tight pants
Civilised girl
Steel-wool hair
Fuzzy and stiff
Now soft as coconut husk
Held by a dozen clips
Charcoal-black skin
Painted red
Bushy eyebrows
Plucked and pencilled
Who am I?
Melanesian Caucasian or
Half-caste?
Make up your mind
Where am I going –
Forward, backward, still?
What do I call myself –
Mrs Miss or Ms?
Why do I do this?
Imitation
What’s wrong with it?
Civilisation
