This document discusses customary land tenure in Solomon Islands. It notes that 85% of land is customary land held according to traditional usage, with the remaining land being freehold or public. It also discusses the influence of custom, Christianity, and the state on the legal system. The recommendations include improving legal literacy, disseminating information about land acquisitions and royalties, increasing knowledge of local customs, holding separate hearings for different groups like chiefs and women, and encouraging women trustees for matrilineal systems.

1. Dr Rebecca Monson
Australian National University College of Law
rebecca.monson@anu.edu.au
Who speaks for the land?
Commercialisation and the transformation
of customary land tenure in Solomon
Islands

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3. Solomon Islands’ legal system
• Influence of kastom (custom), Christianity and
the state
– Immense variation in kastom due to cultural diversity
– Variation in Christianity, particularly across
denominations
• 85% of land is customary land, held according to
“current customary usage”
• Remaining land is freehold land or public land
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4. Kakabona
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5. Where are women active in decision-
making and dispute-resolution?
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6. Recommendations
• Improved legal literacy
• Improved information dissemination
(ie. of acquisition hearings,
distribution of royalties)
• Improved knowledge of kastom
(custom)
• Separate hearings for a range of
groups (ie chiefs, ‘other men’,
women…)
• Encourage (mandate?) women
trustees (particularly in matrilineal
systems)
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7. Recommendations
• Improved legal literacy
• Improved information dissemination
(ie. of acquisition hearings,
distribution of royalties)
• Improved knowledge of kastom
(custom)
• Separate hearings for a range of
groups (ie chiefs, ‘other men’,
women…)
• Encourage (mandate?) women
trustees (particularly in matrilineal
systems)
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