Maraufo Coming of Age Fishing Initiation 2 Dollars Solomon Islands Authentic Banknote Money for Jewelry and Collage (Tuna) (Bokolo) (Falcon)

Maraufo Coming of Age Fishing Initiation 2 Dollars Solomon Islands Authentic Banknote Money for Jewelry and Collage (Bonito Tuna) (Canoe) (Bokolo) (Peregrine Falcon) (Polymer)

Commemorative issue: 25th Anniversary of the Central Bank of the Solomon Islands

Reverse: Fishing scene, during maraufo initiation rite. The function of the maraufo rituals was to initiate older boys into manhood. To begin, a boy candidate had to be paddled out to the bonito school in a canoe and allowed to touch the rod while a bonito was landed.

Obverse: National Coat of Arms; Stylised Bonito fish; Food bowl with two porpoises; and a Bokolo stylised bird - a carved shell used as cash-money

Watermark: Peregrine Falcon

Features
Issuer Solomon Islands
Queen Elizabeth II (1952-date)
Type Commemorative note
Year 2001
Value 2 Dollars
2 SBD = USD 0.25
Currency Dollar (1977-date)
Composition Polymer
Size 142 × 72 mm
Shape Rectangular
Number N# 205208
References P# 23

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The Maraufo: An initiation rite of the Eastern Solomons.
Posted on March 19, 2014
Source for below article: http://www.tribalartbrokers.net/praisetribal/index.php/the-maraufo-an-initiation-rite-of-the-eastern-solomons/

The bonito, a member of the tuna family, is common in Oceania and highly valued as a food fish. It is eagerly fished for throughout Polynesia and in areas of Micronesia and Melanesia, including the Solomon Islands.

In the South East Solomon Islands, however, the bonito was elevated from a food source to become the focus a religious cult that dominated men’s lives. This cult existed within the triangle formed by three specks of land Santa Ana (Owa-raha) and Santa Catalina (Owa-riki), two small islands opposite the south-east peninsula of the larger island of San Cristoval (Makira), which was the third point.

The Bonito used to migrate through this area annually in large numbers, pursuing vast schools of small bait fish varieties such as pilchards.

During this annual migration, the bait fish were sometimes chased close to the surface and the water surface boiled with bait fish, bonito, sharks and sea birds. The natives, who regarded bonito as human beings of the sea because they had no visible scales and red blood, believed this annual visitation to be a gift from the gods and proof of their benevolence and a cult grew around the need to placate the gods to ensure a plentiful harvest of fish

A complex ritual grew up around this annual event. As the bonito fishing season drew near, presentations of food were made to the gods through the local shaman or priest, who had an altar for this purpose in the canoe house. Strict taboos were enforced and the first bonito caught each season was ritually dedicated to the gods. On the rare occasions when the bonito did not make their annual appearance, this was blamed on the breach of a taboo by a member of the community. (Women, for example, were forbidden to touch the bonito canoes or even approach the canoe house).

The presence of a bonito school in the area was usually pinpointed by observing the large flocks of predatory birds that followed it – watching either from land or from a canoe waiting at sea. Once located, the bonito were approached in fast fishing canoes called againiwaiau, light enough to be carried by two men, which paddled into the mass of bonito, sharks and birds to capture as many as bonito possible using long bamboo rods and composite hooks made of mother of pearl and turtle shell that spun like a bait fish in the water.

The function of the Maraufo rituals was to initiate older boys into manhood by passing on the secret knowledge required to manage the tripartite relationship between the gods, the bonito fish and humankind during a period of seclusion that lasted several months.

To begin the maraufo rituals, a boy candidate had to be paddled out to the bonito school in a canoe and allowed to touch the rod while a bonito was landed . On his return to the canoe house, he would be blooded by his first bonito catch, hugging it to his body and even drinking its blood. From this point onwards, he became a maraufo boy, and lived in seclusion in the canoe house for several months, separated from his family and able to eat only a limited number of foods.

At the climax of the maraufo , the boys who had been transformed into men by the blood of the bonito and their months of seclusion paraded on a specially built qua or display platform in all their impressive finery, each carrying a woven bag of presents to be thrown to the cheering crowd below and a lightweight replica of the distinctive prow of an againiwaiau bonito fishing canoe to symbolise the capture of their first fish. They could then be reunited with their families and the period of seclusion ended.

Finally, at the end of this special day, the newly initiated young men entered into a symbolic marriage, presenting their canoe stern posts and combs to a young “bride” to signify that they were now old enough to court and marry,

Judith Woods, who witnessed the climax of a maraufo ceremony in Star Harbour, San Cristoval in September 1973, has vivid memories of the young men in all their finery, carrying bags of gifts and model canoe stern posts onto the display platform, which was a large open structure crowned with two life size bonito fishing canoes.

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Shell to Cash, the Bokolo
Wednesday, 20 February 2008 16:47 PM
The term 'money' is always associated with notes and coins, but such is not the case when it comes to the traditional side of Solomon Islands.

Solomon Times sat with John Dioko from Simbo in the Western Province who explained the significance of the 'bokolo' in their society.

"The bokolo is a form of money which our people use to pay for bride price, buy land, tribal reconciliation and compensation," he said.

Bokolo is made of clam shell and "normally, collectors from overseas are the main people to buy this artifact because of its uniqueness."

"One very interesting thing about the bokolo is that it is not made out of wood but from a sea shell, and it's very rare to find people who know how to make it," said Mr. Dioko.

Solomon Times learnt that one bokolo is worth SBD$5,000 and according to Mr. Dioko, "some of the museum in the world really want it."

Asked on its history, Mr. Dioko said that their ancestors used the bokolo as their defender.

"The ancestors would chant sacred songs so that whatever plans they make, they have to be strong," he added.

Solomon Times understands that there are special artifacts in the country which are still forbidden to be showcased publicly, but there are revived ones that can be exported overseas, and one of them is bokolo.
Source: https://www.solomontimes.com/news/shell-to-cash-the-bokolo/1387

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Wikipedia:
The coat of arms of Solomon Islands shows a shield which is framed by a crocodile and a shark. The motto is displayed under it, which reads "To Lead Is to Serve". Over the shield there is a helmet with decorations, crowned by a stylised sun.