In the 1980s a pacific Islands elder, Samuel Alasa'a, decided to pass on the knowledge gained over a long lifetime by recording some cassettes of history for his sons. He told the story of how the ancestors of their people, the Kwara'ae of Solomon islands, first arrived in their homeland on the island of malaita about twenty-five generations ago, he explained the genealogical histories of their own clan homelands, and he discribed the arrival of European church and government, as experienced in his own youth. Alasa'a's words form the core of this book, presenting one man's perspective on the history of his people. However, this introduces a broader view of the past based on other sources, interpreting Alasa'a's account for those unfamiliar with his cultural background and contributing different historical perspectives, both local and colonial. the editors have drawn on oral history, anthropological research and archival records to present a many-sided account of a rich and complex Pacific Islands history.