Ramo - History

History

The power of the ramo on Malaita enlarged during the decades of blackbirding, as firearms and steel tools (decreasing the time required for farmwork) appeared on the island. Noted ramos from this time, such as Harisimae of Waisisi, are still remembered. At the turn of the century, observers noted that rifles were so common on Malaita that nearly every man carried one. This may have been an exaggeration, and they were largely outmoded guns and there were dwindling amounts of ammunition, but the rifles remained a powerful symbol of power and authority.

In the early decades of the twentieth century, Kwaio society was dominated by a half-dozen famous ramo and their assistants. One of the first goals during the pacification of Malaita as part of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate was to decrease the extent of the blood feuding and limit the autonomy of the ramos. William R. Bell, who was District Officer during the last part of this period, was viewed as a ramo when he attempted to stop the blood feuding. His confrontation with one of the most feared ramos of the time, Basiana, led to his death and the Malaita massacre.