Choiseul Province Day – February 25, 2025

History of Choiseul Province Day

Choiseul Province was first populated by its native inhabitants, who named the island Lauru. Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira arrived in Lauru in 1568 and renamed the island San Marcos due to the fact that he first spotted the island on the Day of Saint Mark. The island was again renamed Choiseul in 1768 by French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville. This renaming was done in honor of the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Étienne François, Marquis de Stainville, Duc de Choiseul. By 1881, the island was a part of the German Solomon Islands. Later on in 1899, the Germans ceded control over Choiseul to the British, thus rendering it a part of the British Solomon Islands. The Resident Commissioner for the Solomon Islands, Charles Woodford, sailed to Choiseul and hoisted the British flag there on August 23, 1900.

During the Second World War, North West Choiseul was partly occupied by Japanese forces, though the U.S. Marines raided their garrisons in October and November 1943. After WWII, the British Solomon Islands Protectorate was reorganized into four districts; Central, Western, Eastern, and Malaita.

The Solomon Islands gained independence from the British in 1978. The city of Honiara functioned as the national capital, and still continues to do so to this day. On February 25, 1995, Choiseul Province separated itself from the Western Province. Choiseul Province Day is celebrated to commemorate this very event. The day is celebrated as a public holiday through sports events, speeches, and a host of other public events that the populus participates in wholeheartedly.