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Wakunai patrol post in 1965
Japanese guns stand in the yard. In July of 1969, we noticed that the councilor’s regimentation of village activities was especially binding.
The people’s weeks were scheduled so that every other week the entire village was obliged to give their time to Council, village, and mission projects. Monday was “Council Day” and the time was spent cutting the grass on
the airstrip. Tuesday was often taken for a group project, such as cutting timber for a house, preparing sago palm roofing, etc. Wednesday was for church projects—fixing up the church buildings, working on the Voko
School grounds and buildings, etc. Work often spilled over to occupy Thursday and Friday, as well. During the odd weeks they were allowed time to work on their own houses, gardens, etc.
Even in 1982, the year we last lived in Togarao village, each morning the councilor gathered the village people to discuss plans for the day and projects to be done and to make any announcements about government
and church activities. With local business groups exerting more of an influence, the people’s time was not as available for general projects as in the past.
11.3.2 The village government system
From 1972 to 1976, the Territory began the new and probably fateful era with more political unity than before, but still somewhat divided between a more conservative,
gradualistic highlands electorate and a more nationalistic collection of electorates elsewhere. Parallel to these moves toward Territory-wide political unification and self-government,
and preceding them by several years, have been the administration’s efforts to increase the scope and domain of government at the local level. Beginning in 1949, encouragement was
given to setting up of local government councils which were intended to replace the previous village or neighborhood-size units headed by appointive officials kukerai, tultul, etc. with
much larger units and with elected officials. The new councils were empowered to levy taxes and to carry out public works and developmental projects. These councils were slow to be set
up, but by the middle of 1970, there were ninety-three of them, ranging in size from 2,500 to 43,000 constituents and encompassing over 1.5 million or 90 percent of the Territory’s
population Oliver 1973:141.
In the Rotokas area, the Village Government system was getting under way in 1974. One of the early presidents of the Wakunai Local Government Council was John K. John came to the Rotokas area in 1940
from his home in Buin. During the Second World War, he served for a time with Mr. John Mason of the Coast Watchers. Later, he escaped for a time from Bougainville in a submarine, which took him to Guadalcanal.
Before the war was finished, however, John returned by submarine and eventually joined the forces at Ibu and Sisivi. He was with the Fijians during their raids [described in section 1.2.1] and made his way back to
Torokina when the exercise was completed. Today, John K. is a business man with stores and plantations, among other things.
In order to encourage surrounding areas to join in the move towards Village Government, the following unedited text was circulated:
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01 Area Wantam 30-4-1974 Olgeta Ples Bilong Wakunai
1. Togarao 01 dispela paipela hap
Ruruvu area i mas istap olsem yet
Sisivi wantaim village gov bilong
Ibu ol. Siroripaia
Nogut mipela i bihainim ol division na wok
2. Buristoro bilong village gov inoken
Tutupaia inapim tru laik bilong ol
Kakarapaia people. Na tu pasin
Pipipaia bilong bihainim wok inoken
Rupatoro kamap gutu sapos mipela
bihainim ol division bai 3. Pokoia
lukluk bilong
district Tubia
gov wantaim village gov Osiovaipa
bai inoken inapim tumas laik Siribia
bilong ol people na sidaun ino ken senis liklik bai yum
4. Korovori istap olsem. Nao yumi istap long
Tokai council, na council ino inapim
Tearaka tumas sidaun bilong olo people
Inus long ples. Council i
Teohip karamapim yumi olgeta. Taso ino
inapim tumas laik bilong olo 5. Mapearo
wari bilong ol manmeri long Lekoia
ol ples long ol samting oli Teokono
laikim. Orait na imoa gut sapos Teperoi
mipela imas istap long area Okovupaia
village gov long bihaini- m yet ol kain stadaon bilong
tubuna bipo na wantaim ol pasin tubuna bilong mipela.
This uncorrected copy of the handwritten text encourages the readers to work together to make the Village Government successful in the five areas. The author states that the council system was not able to satisfy the
desires of the people. By following the customs of the past and working together in the Village Government system, however, their way of life should be improved.
The following year, tangible evidence was produced that showed the people’s keen support for the Village Government system. In April of 1975, donations were made to help get it off the ground. The total amount
from the area—including Togarao, Ruruvu, Ibu, Sisivi, and Mapiaro—was about K8000.00. The following list shows individuals and groups who made donations. The letter “s” following the name indicates that the money
came from trade store profits.
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Donations made to start the Rotokas Erava village government
April 7, 1975 Names Village
Amount Individual s
Sisivi 100.00
Individual s Sisivi
100.00 Group
Sisivi 100.00
Individual s Ruruvu
100.00 Group
Ruruvu 100.00
Individual s Ruruvu
100.00 Individual s
Sirioripaia 100.00
Individual s Sirioripaia
100.00 Individual s
Uriora 200.00
Individual Ibu
100.00 Individual
Tutupaio 100.00
Individual Tutupaio
100.00 Individual
Bulistoro 100.00
Individual Bulistoro
100.00 Individual
Togarao 1000.00
Group Togarao
100.00 Individual s
Togarao 100.00
Individual s Togarao
100.00 Individual
Togarao 100.00
The pattern for the Rotokas to follow was established by the Siwai Village government. A translation from a Rotokas document, describing the Siwai setup, follows:
The villages individually elected their leaders turaro irara. They named them two men the Mumih Mouhe leader and committee. After selecting these two men, they chose six
more. Their responsibilities are to make the work of the village government function and to make the laws. Also, they are to function as in the old days prior to the white man’s arrival.
Then from the six men, one or two are selected to be the spokesmen voea gisipoaro kaepasa or “to carry their mouth” i.e., to speak for their constituents in the Village
Government Assembly. There are twelve in the Village Government Assembly who are chosen for positions. It
is good if these men have some education so that things go well. In the Village Government Assembly are five departments: Planning and Development
Section, Finance Section, Law Section, Police Section and Judiciary. The Planning and Development Section is responsible for advancing loans for
businesses, keeping track of monies returned, and other work, too. This other work involves discussing upcoming projects suggested by villagers. The results of these discussions are
then sent to the Sub-district Rural Improvement Planning Committee. It is this committee’s responsibility to select worthwhile projects and send word about them to the District
Development Planning Committee.
The Finance Section’s work is very difficult because we are not familiar with the work of keeping finance records. Older people keep their money in their houses with them,
thinking that is the safest place. The four men of the Finance Section are responsible to work with the Planning Committee, keeping records of funding, etc. Also, it is the work of these
four men to convince the people that it is good to get the money out of the houses.
The Law Section involves the older, wise people and the younger people when making laws. This is so that all of the people are satisfied and they all will uphold the laws. When the
laws are made, then they are sent to the committee of the Village Government Assembly
138 Viles Gavman Asembli. If the committee approves the laws, then they are returned to the
villages and the people are told to abide by them. Peace Officers or the police are divided up two to a village. Their work is to take
offenders to the court for trial. Then they are to ensure that the judges’ sentences are carried out.
The men of the Judiciary Section are responsible for the court hearings. There are three chosen, in order to ensure that cases are heard in all fairness. Along with the judges, are the
court secretaries who read out the offenses of those being tried and who keep court records.
Organization of the Siwai village government pattern
During the evolution of the Rotokas village government system, the structure above was followed. This was in the late 1970’s when Simon Pute of Togarao was the representative for the Rotokas Electorate in the
North Solomons Provincial Assembly. He was the highest representative for the people at the time. The local government was named Rotokas Erava Community Government. It consisted of three “centers.”
[Note these are different than the five groups of villages listed earlier in this section.] The groups are as follows: Wakunai Center—Mapiaro, Lekoia, Okowapaia, Wakunai; Tearaka Center—Tearaka, Nupatoro,
Pipipaia, Kakaropaia, Pokoia, Tsubiai, Siribia, Osiwaipa, Kusi, Tehipu, Owawaipa, Koribori; and Togarao Center—Bulistoro, Togarao, Ruruvu, Sisivi, Sirioripaia, Ibu, Tutupaia.
Wakunai is the coordinating center with the Coordinator’s office located there. The Coordinator is the modern equivalent of the Australian Patrol Officer or kiap of former days. This coordinator is responsible to
the government officer on Buka, who is in turn responsible to the Provincial Office in Arawa. Over the years, we have seen the development of the Village Government system. The two-story office
building to house the officers and court was built in the early 1980’s in Togarao village. Outside the building is the grave of one of the first village judges. He is respected for his wisdom and leadership, and his grave is a
reminder for those who carry on the government’s business nearby. The Rotokas Erava Community Government has a strong advantage in its secretary, a man from Madang
on the mainland who married a woman from Togarao. He handles English very well, is a hard worker, and has the respect of the Rotokas people. The fact that he is “neutral” with regard to clan loyalties and obligations
may be a significant factor in his success as secretary. Partly due to his hard work, the Rotokas Erava Community Government has received commendation from Provincial leaders.
It has already been noted that up to the time of writing 1984, Mr. Gordon Bure was the elected representative for the Rotokas people in the Provincial House of Assembly and also the Minister of Health.
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11.4 Village Courts and Fines
