Multicultural Education Resources

American Model

For multicultural education resources and background on the Solomon Islands (also Robert Kincaid):

Jully Sipolo, Civilized Girl (South Pacific Creative Arts Society, Suva, Fiji, 1981) and/or Praying Parents (Aruligo Book Centre, Honiara, Solomon Islands, 1986).

These short poetry collections offer a sharp-eyed view of the world by a Solomon Islands woman. Jully’s work is hard to find in the U.S., but they’re worth the effort. (One likely source is the Book Bin in Corvallis, Oregon, Pacific(at)bookbin(dot)com (replace (at) and (dot) with appropriate symbols. In 2007, the author (now Jully Makini) published a new collection, Flotsam and Jetsam, through IPS Publications at the University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji. For U.S. sales, see Pacific Island Books.

Mi Mere, edited by Afu Billy, Hazel Lulei, and Jully Sipolo, The University of the South Pacific Solomon Islands Centre, Honiara, Solomon Islands, 1983.

A collection of poetry and prose by Solomon Islands women writers. It offers a wide range of views by women on life in the Solomons.

Walter G. Ivens, The Island Builders of the Pacific, AMS Press, 1978.

This is a reprint of the 1930 classic published by Seeley, Service & Company of London. It’s a formal anthropological study of an artificial island village off the coast of Malaita in the Solomons – an area similar to where Esme of “American Model” fame grew up. It’s hard-core anthropology, but an excellent resource to this special area of the Solomons.

Janet Kent, The Solomon Islands, Stackpole Books, 1972.

Though a bit out-dated, this book offers a good general overview of the Solomons, its history and its people.

David Harcombe, Solomon Islands: a travel survival kit. Lonely Planet publications. 1993.

Here’s the typical Lonely Planet guide: detailed island-by-island and village-by-village guidebook of things to see and places to go with a general overview of the country and its history. This book is now out of print, having been replaced by a combined Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands guide, 7th edition, 2005.

Robert James Waller, The Bridges of Madison County, Warner Books, Inc. 1992.

“Robert Kincaid” is Waller’s fictional National Geographic photographer who wows Iowa farm wife Francesca Johnson. After a delicious 4-day romp, Kincaid moves on, and Francesca pines for him for the rest of her life. The book was a smash best seller, and led to the 1995 movie starring Clint Eastwood as Kincaid and Meryl Streep as Francesca.

By Canoe into My Father's War

For multicultural education resources and more background on the Solomon Islands as described in "By Canoe into My Father's War:"

Eric Hammel, Munda Trail. Orion Books, 1989.

An account of American forces moving north through the Central Solomons in World War II. The book focuses on Rendova and New Georgia, including the incident cited in the essay that led to realization that “combat fatigue” is a legitimate, debilitating illness.

Robert J. Donovan, PT 109. McGraw-Hill, 1961.

When John F. Kennedy’s motor torpedo boat (PT) was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer off the coast of Rendova in the Solomon Islands, the future U. S. president and his men found refuge on tiny Plum Pudding island. Solomon Islanders eventually rescued him. Donovan’s book tells the story of Kennedy’s World War II experience.

Robert Leckie, Helmet for my pillow. Random House, 1957.

Leckie was a Marine machine gunner on Guadalcanal. This is his story of an on-the-ground Marine in World War II.

Geoffrey M. White, et al., eds. The Big Death: Solomon Islanders Remember World War II. Solomon Islands College of Higher Education and the University of the South Pacific, 1988.

This bilingual collection gives voice to the Solomon Islander viewpoint of World War II in the Solomons: each first person account is presented both in Pijin and English. As such, it’s one of the more unique multicultural education resources about the history of the war.

David Harcombe, Solomon Islands: a travel survival kit. Lonely Planet publications, 1993.

Here’s the typical Lonely Planet guide: detailed island-by-island and village-by-village guidebook of things to see and places to go with a general overview of the country and its history. This book is now out of print, having been replaced by a combined Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands guide, 7th edition, 2005.