Taim bilong mani: The evolution of agriculture in a Solomon Island society

Abstract

This is a detailed analysis of the transition from a subsisten ce agricultural system to a quite affluent semi commercial agriculture amongst the Siwai of south Bougainville (the North Solomons Province of Papua New Guinea) .The pre-war agricultural economy, based on swidden cultivation of taro has, along with other facets of Siwai economic life, previously been described in detail (Oliver, 1955); part of this is reconsidered here.The pre-contact agricultural econ omy was effectively one of 'subsistence affluen ce'; contact enabled further divers ification and later some attempts at copra production and sale.During the second world war taro blight precipitated a dramatic change to sweet potato and, following experience in observing and working on European plantations and Japanese wartime gardens, Siwais, with the encouragement of traditional leaders, attempted to grow rice for commercial sale.For two decades cash crop cultivation was largely tmsuccessful tmtil cocoa became established; this effectively superseded other cash crops although cattle provided a measure of diversification.The money generated from cash cropping enabled business development, especially trade stores, to attain a measure of success.Cargo beliefs were rarely important .Agriculture in Siwai had become a source of affluence.

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