Wantok:

The word ‘wantok’ in the Solomons refers to ‘family’. However, like in Africa, family doesn’t mean your parents, siblings or children. It usually refers to anyone who is related to, and sometimes to your whole village or tribe. That’s the meaning of the word, but culturally, the concept of wantok is far more complicated. 

You cannot say no to anyone in your wantok. If they turn up on your doorstop asking for help, you have to help them. If they see you on the street with your new pair of sunglasses and ask you if they can have them, you hand them over. If you own a business, they have a right to share in the profits and at times simply walk off with the produce. I’m sure that this wasn’t the original manifestation of the wantok principles of helping everyone in your area when they needed it, making sure people don’t starve, but in a modern world it can be a bit of a hinderance. It basically means that Solomon Islanders struggle to run their own business without being dishonest to their family. Consequently, most businesses such as supermarkets (particularly in the capital, Honiara) are owned by the Chinese.  It also means that government jobs are staffed by family members and government resources are used by relatives. Those who get good jobs often become a bit reclusive to try and avoid running into family members, but they still turn up on the doorstep at all hours of the day. 

Wantok catching a lift home

On the other hand, there are some times when it is advantageous, and the main one I saw was when people become ill. There is no blood donation service in the country, so blood is donated by family members, and when several units are needed, many family members have to donate in order to get the right number of matched units. When the family can’t say no, then it’s not as hard as you might expect in another country. Similarly, if people come to the hospital from far and wide, instead of discharging them home, you ask if they have wantok in the area that they can stay with and come back as an outpatient. It saves a lot of hospital resources and patients usually prefer it.

I do wonder whether this aspect of their culture may end up changing and eventually being lost in the effort to progress in a capitalist way. I think in many ways it would be a shame as it certainly helps to unite people and prevent starvation and extreme poverty. On the other hand, it's hard to know how the country will survive if changes don't happen. It would be interesting to come back in 30 years and see if anything has changed.