ABSTRACT
This chapter is a positive account of an independent Indigenous country that has taken control over its cultural heritage, one that also describes the conflicts and range of opinions between older and younger people and between those still involved in custom (traditional beliefs and practices) and those who have been Christianised. It is based on the observations of, and conversations expressed to, the author in his role as director of the National Museum. It begins with a brief history of archaeology and of those who were involved in its introduction into Solomon Islands. This is followed by a discussion of the contributions archaeology has made to the way the Indigenous Solomon Islanders understand their past, as well as a description of current archaeology research work and the future of archaeology in a developing country like Solomon Islands.
