Kwaio Cultural Performance

  • Author(s)
    Madelaine Love
  • Category
    At the Museum
  • Published
    21 November 2017
  • Read time
    2 minutes

Representatives from the Kwainaa'isi Cultural Centre are currently visiting the Australian Museum as part of an ongoing partnership to document both traditional and scientific knowledge about plants and animals, improve conservation practices and strengthen Kwaio culture.

Kwaio performance
Representatives from the Kwainaa'isi Cultural Centre in the Solomon Islands perform traditional song and dance in the Australian Museum atrium. The Kwaio people who live in the interior of the island of Malaita, Solomon Islands are renowned for retaining strong kastom (tradition) – lost in most parts of the country because of colonisation and modernisation. Many Kwaio follow their traditional ancestral religion, engage in a shell money economy, refuse to convert to Christianity and continue to practice many ancient rituals. They therefore retain significant traditional knowledge. Image: Madelaine Love
© Australian Museum

The Kwaio people, who live in the interior of the island of Malaita, are renowned for retaining strong kastom (tradition) – lost in most parts of the country because of colonisation and modernisation.

Many Kwaio follow their traditional ancestral religion, engage in a shell money economy, refuse to convert to Christianity and continue to practice many ancient rituals. They therefore retain significant traditional knowledge.

Read more about the Australian Museum's ongoing work in the Solomon Islands here.