Revealing Renbel Culture through Carvings

BY JAYJAY MESAAC

GIVING the traditional taste of the people, traditions and cultures of Rennell and Bellona province through the process of wood carving is simple a passion for the local carvers of the Renbel Handicraft Association.

Two specialised and gifted carvers, Mathew Amonuku and Eddie Gimaika from Rennell and Bellona province established the Renbel Handicraft Association 30 years ago.

Now being the Assistance President for Renbel Handicraft Association, Mr Mathew Amonuku said they are not a business entity to sell souvenirs but a platform to promote their cultures through their artworks.

“We not only displayed our traditional wooden carvings for tourist attraction or provide gift shop services to international visitors; however, we also promote our indigenous traditional cultures based on our creations,” Amonuku said.

He described how his talent was evolved over the years until now.

“I started doing wood carving under the supervision of specialised carvers from my home province when I was 26 in Russell Islands, Central province.

“To become an expert in the traditional art of wood carving is not an easy task, it’s an gift that comes with passion and commitment.”

President of the Renbel Handicraft Association Mr Gimaika described the Association as a catalyst to promote the identity of their province.

“This association was form in the year 2016, after noticing that majority of tourists, and other travellers visiting our country are so interested in wooden carvings and other cultural artefacts.

“Therefore, I believe that through the establishment of our Association, we will continue to develop our talents and also promote our traditional culture and identity to our international visitors.

He described his biological father as the person behind his God given talent as a wooden carver.

“My father’s advise was the main driving force behind my creative works, talent and visions; my dad would often told me that to become an artist I must posses confident in my works,” Gimaika said.

Secretary of the Association Mrs. Monica Tangohua revealed that the current risk is the creative and indigenous arts of Renbel province; it needs preservation for the future generation.

She said despite our success, our mission to promote and preserve our identity.

“Currently young people are not very interesting in Arts and craft designer even marketing, it’s wrong because we are all born culture so let keep our culture and identity growing.

“The Association will very soon conducting a workshop training for Young people [both male and female] of Renbel Island of how to continue maintaining their culture and identity of doing carvings, crafts, arts and waving of traditional mat and baskets.

“Throughout that training mother tongue (language) will be used as this is part of our own culture, they will teach and learn their young people of how to use such tools to make craft, they will help them to develop their creativity of how their talents may at work,” Tangohua added.

Rennell and Bellona are both Polynesian-inhabited islands within the predominantly Melanesian Solomons.

Source: Tourism Media Solomon Islands