Solomon Islands heritage find
Visiting parliamentarians view rare artefacts
Parliamentarians from the Solomon Islands have viewed a rare collection of Solomon Islands artefacts during a recent visit to Australia.
Located at Sydney’s Australian Museum, the collection includes shields, spears, shell money and jewellery from different areas of Solomon Islands, including some from the visiting parliamentarians’ home provinces.
The pieces, some hundreds of years old, have been acquired by the Australian Museum through exchanges and purchases, in some cases via colonial administrators and also via traders and scientific researchers.
With the collection not readily on public display, the delegation welcomed the opportunity to see such an extensive collection of Solomon Islands cultural heritage.
During its visit, the delegation also had meetings at the NSW parliament, which has implemented a twinning relationship with the Solomon Islands parliament. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association twinning program provides for ongoing exchange through shared parliamentary experiences, as well as opportunities for parliamentary capacity building through the provision of training and equipment.
Solomon Islands Delegation Leader Selwyn Riumana at the Australian Museum in Sydney
