Shell money is one of the traditional ways to say 'I love you' in Solomon Islands. But as Australian-based Solomon Islander Terry Wong discovered, finding the sought after currency for his bride-to-be is no easy feat.
Strings of seashells, coils of red feathers and dolphin teeth are traditional currencies that are used to say "I love you" in parts of Solomon Islands.
Shell money is still used in provinces including Malaita, Makira and Guadalcanal and families often have a treasure box of the currency hidden in their homes.Solomon Islands is home to a range of traditional currencies, and some are easier to find than others. The different lengths of string have different value and a single tafulia'e can be worth anywhere between $100 and $500.Traditional dancing is part of farewelling the bride as she begins the next chapter of her life.
Terry's grand uncle Solomon Palusi says finding the shell money was "very difficult but wasn't impossible".It's for people like Terry that a shop has recently opened in Honiara's Chinatown, selling shell money for cash, targeting three of the nine provinces in the country that use the traditional currency.Shell money shop owner Mary Sifoburi is from Langa Langa in Malaita province, a community known for crafting the currency.
With shell money now so difficult to find and its price increasing, community elders fear it will some day lose its place in the three provinces.
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