FICHAS RESUMEN DE LAS UNIDADES DIDÁCTICAS

The participants who contributed to this issue include tribal chiefs, tribal members and two of government stakeholders.

Recording and registering customary land raises many difficult issues in the Solomon Islands. The participants suggested the following as rationales for recording and registering customary land.

Land Identification: Recording and registering land according to them, is so that ownership is clear under their name. People now and in the future will be aware of the tribe that holds the land title.

For security of land: They believed once customary land is registered; there is no chance for anyone to falsely claim it. For instance Kekero stated: “As there had been extensive complex disputes over customary land in the past registration can prevent future disputes” (Kekero, Interview, 14.05.07). However, two participants argued that dispute has nothing to do with land; it stays with people. Ruruu for example stated: “Although we register land we can possibly dispute each other because it is all about argument and hatred” (Ruruu, Interview, 10.06.07).

For development purposes: The interviewees believe that once land is registered and ownership is clear, both internal and external investors will be attracted to develop it. A participant claimed: “If a block of customary land is registered, it is all possible and easy for any form of development to go in. The registered land can attract donors to invest in them because it is clear of unnecessary tribal disputes” (Kekero, Interview, 14.05.07). Development activities can progress well on registered land without complex constraints. Some participants commented that those pursuing registration have genuine rationales that any form of development that will alleviate poverty and improve the well-being of the people must be allowed to go on. Kaule stated: “One reason for registration of customary land is that development plans that have the objectives to alleviating poverty and improvement of well- being must progress unopposed” (Interview, 19.05.07).

However, some of the interviewees also commented that although many tribal leaders have tried to register their lands, they were always unsuccessful or had taken them too long. According to three interviewees, the leader’s lack of consultation with his tribal members is one of the factors responsible for the unsuccessful stories or delays. Kwisi for example stated: “While I did not understand the motives of lack of consultation I recommend that those who want to pursue registration should consult the whole tribe and if all are agreed, they should all pursue it together” (Interview, 10.07.07).

This same issue was raised with other participants who agreed that such consultation is important. One reason according to them is that, future generations will learn that their forefathers or their fathers have all agreed upon the registration of their customary land. Four participants strongly recommended that tribes of the neighbouring lands also need to be consulted when pursuing registration. In recommending this, the interviewees believed things will run smoothly if those tribal leaders are informed and have knowledge of what is going on and the underlying rationales. They need to know what type of developments would be channelled to those lands after title is given. The interviewees

raised this point in the perception that once tribal members of the bordering tribes reasoned this to be beneficial in the long term, they will help facilitate it. The interviewees made the general comment that the issue of friendly consultation with the neighbouring tribes were lacking which to some extent responsible for slowing the registration process.

Three of the participants identified the possible risk that there will be future division within the tribe that only one person pursues the registration process. Three other chiefs commented that the high cost incurred during the process of registration limits the courage in pursuing this. Chief Koreo for instance claimed: “Money is part of the problem. There are processing fees imposed that many people in the rural areas have not been able to afford” (Interview, 22.05.07).

Two other participants raised the comment that customary land cannot be easily registered because of the mess in oral history rather than paper documents. For example Chief Kekero pointed out that this issue is crucial and needs a well planned strategy to address it. He stated: “This is the heart of the problem because the government cannot assign title to land owners unless the land is clear of disputes” (Interview, 14.05.07).

The other factor responsible for unsuccessful registration of customary land according to the chiefs interviewed is land dispute. They indicated that there is competition or more struggle for headship of tribes. Chief Koreo explained that even two members of the headship line or two brothers of a family would struggle to have equal rights or equal leadership roles. He explained by relating this story:

“My father is the second born of a family of five. The children of the first born have not attended any better/formal education and on one occasion a logging company was prospecting to log a portion of our forest. As part of the preparation, there has to be signing of documents so that the land is registered. To my experience, a dispute emerged between the two brothers (my father and one of his brothers). The issue of this argument is that, the first born must be responsible for everything” (Koreo, Interview, 22.05.07).

With his experience, there were other augments over who should be the spokes person for the tribe. Some people argued that the son of the first born must be the one while others argued that anyone within the family who is well versed with cultural issues and the history of the land and the genealogy tracing should be the one. To some extent, according to the chief such internal arguments can disturb development activities or marketing and registration.

Similarly, there are extensive intra-tribal struggles between members of the female lines and members of the male lines. They all normally wanted to be equal in status thus, hampers registration. According to Chief Kekero this attitude continues to only disturb development activities (Kekero of Black tribe, Interview, 14.05.07).

A government participant commented that the idea of registration is a foreign concept. He made the comment that we were at the moment got stuck on the web between indigenous knowledge and the modern theory of knowledge. He illustrated: “It is like we are standing over a river having one foot on one side and another on the other side. We do not know where we can all stand together” (Bola, Interview, 14.07.07). He was referring to the situation where the people seemed to having a split mentality as whether to go on doing their own things or to also give some concern to their other fellow tribal members who are also important as well as depending on them. Commenting on this same issue some interviewees recommended that something must be done about it. For example Chief Kekero mentioned: “We need to find out through research some aspects of our indigenous knowledge that we need to blend with the modern theory of knowledge so that we are able to move forward in the current society” (Interview, 14.05.07). Currently according to the interviewees, they do not know where they can blend the two together. The two are heading to different directions and where the two should integrate is not known. For this reason, two of the interviewees recommended that they need a group to research some traditional issues together with modern issues and to finding out a better way of applying the two types of knowledge together in order to suit the current society. According to them, this is the thing that is missing.