Basiana
Encyclopedia
Basiana was a native leader of the Kwaio
group on Malaita
in the Solomon Islands
. He was a powerful and feared ramo
(bounty hunter), and came from a line of prominent leaders, feastgivers, and warriors of the Gounaile clan. He is known in the West as the killer of William R. Bell
, the colonial District Officer, for which he and his co-conspirators were hanged.
He was the only son and the eldest of his first cousins, so he was groomed for this position from an early age. Unlike many members of his clan, he did not go to Queensland
or Fiji
to work. As an adult, he became one of the most feared ramo of the time, and was remembered as able to kill with ruthlessness and fearlessness that intimidated those around him. He is also remembered for his obsession with honour and strict enforcement of Kwaio norms. Basiana's success gave great quantities of wealth to his clan from his collection of blood money, which in turn contributed to the prestige of the clan as they offered feasts.
In the 1920s, Basiana and the other strongmen saw their power slipping under the new colonial regime, which was making inroads into Malaita led by the Malaita District Officer Bell. They saw the threat of the Protectorate justice, as some Kwaio had been hanged in Tulagi
for the sort of killing that they did. Furthermore, they resented the imposition of a head tax on all Malaitans, and the efforts of the colonial authorities to confiscate their rifles. Finally, they resented the increased power of the newly commissioned constables, who were given power by the colonial authorities.
In 1927 Basiana and two other ramo planned an attack on Bell as he made his annual tax collection rounds. Others, aware of the strength of the British from their experience abroad or afraid from premonitions in a dream, tried to discourage the attack, but Basiana dismissed their concerns and was able to coerce others into following him. On October 4, Basiana paid his tax, withdrew, and then reappeared at the front of the queue and plunged his rifle into Bell's head with such strength his head virtually exploded. Other members of the party attacked, and most of the tax collection party were killed.
In retaliation for this killing, the colonial authorities launched a punitive expedition
to root out the plotters of the attack and bring them to justice. Basiana, as the most wanted man, kept on the move and was able to evade the search parties. But later he surrendered, as he received news about the extent of the damage of the punitive expedition. Along with 200 other detainees, he was held in facilities in Tulagi for several months, awaiting trial. Along with five others he was convicted of murder and sentenced to be hanged. He was hanged publicly on June 19, with his two sons watching.
Basiana's eldest son Anifelo, raised to be a ramo as well, went on to become a police drummer, evangelist, and anticolonial political leader. He had one other son and one daughter.
Kwaio
Kwaio is an ethnic group found in central Malaita, in the Solomon Islands. According to Ethnologue, they numbered 13,249 in 1999. Much of what is known about the Kwaio is due to the work of the Marxian anthropologist Roger M...
group on Malaita
Malaita
Malaita is the largest island of the Malaita Province in the Solomon Islands. A tropical and mountainous island, Malaita's pristine river systems and tropical forests have not been exploited. Malaita is the most populous island of the Solomon Islands, with 140,000 people or more than a third of the...
in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
. He was a powerful and feared ramo
Ramo
A ramo was a warrior-leader among certain tribes on Malaita in the Solomon Islands. A ramo was recognized when he had killed an adversary in personal combat, and established an intimidating reputation...
(bounty hunter), and came from a line of prominent leaders, feastgivers, and warriors of the Gounaile clan. He is known in the West as the killer of William R. Bell
William R. Bell
William Robert Bell was an Australian-born official in the British Solomon Islands Protectorate, who served as the District Officer of Malaita from 1915 until 1927. He was killed while collecting a head tax from the Kwaio of central Malaita...
, the colonial District Officer, for which he and his co-conspirators were hanged.
He was the only son and the eldest of his first cousins, so he was groomed for this position from an early age. Unlike many members of his clan, he did not go to Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
or Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
to work. As an adult, he became one of the most feared ramo of the time, and was remembered as able to kill with ruthlessness and fearlessness that intimidated those around him. He is also remembered for his obsession with honour and strict enforcement of Kwaio norms. Basiana's success gave great quantities of wealth to his clan from his collection of blood money, which in turn contributed to the prestige of the clan as they offered feasts.
In the 1920s, Basiana and the other strongmen saw their power slipping under the new colonial regime, which was making inroads into Malaita led by the Malaita District Officer Bell. They saw the threat of the Protectorate justice, as some Kwaio had been hanged in Tulagi
Tulagi
Tulagi, less commonly Tulaghi, is a small island in the Solomon Islands, just off the south coast of Florida Island. The town of the same name on the island Tulagi, less commonly Tulaghi, is a small island (5.5 km by 1 km) in the Solomon Islands, just off the south coast of Florida...
for the sort of killing that they did. Furthermore, they resented the imposition of a head tax on all Malaitans, and the efforts of the colonial authorities to confiscate their rifles. Finally, they resented the increased power of the newly commissioned constables, who were given power by the colonial authorities.
In 1927 Basiana and two other ramo planned an attack on Bell as he made his annual tax collection rounds. Others, aware of the strength of the British from their experience abroad or afraid from premonitions in a dream, tried to discourage the attack, but Basiana dismissed their concerns and was able to coerce others into following him. On October 4, Basiana paid his tax, withdrew, and then reappeared at the front of the queue and plunged his rifle into Bell's head with such strength his head virtually exploded. Other members of the party attacked, and most of the tax collection party were killed.
In retaliation for this killing, the colonial authorities launched a punitive expedition
Punitive expedition
A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a state or any group of persons outside the borders of the punishing state. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong behavior, but may be also be a covered revenge...
to root out the plotters of the attack and bring them to justice. Basiana, as the most wanted man, kept on the move and was able to evade the search parties. But later he surrendered, as he received news about the extent of the damage of the punitive expedition. Along with 200 other detainees, he was held in facilities in Tulagi for several months, awaiting trial. Along with five others he was convicted of murder and sentenced to be hanged. He was hanged publicly on June 19, with his two sons watching.
Basiana's eldest son Anifelo, raised to be a ramo as well, went on to become a police drummer, evangelist, and anticolonial political leader. He had one other son and one daughter.