Biographical entry: Dakei, Solomon ( - 1977)

Died
15 August 1977

Details

Solomon Dakei was at school in Fiji, along with Hugo Gini and Silas Sitai (q.v.), when the Second World War (q.v.) broke out. He joined the Fiji Naval Reserve and returned to serve with the scouts on Guadalcanal as a non-commissioned officer of the BSIP Defence Force, attached to the U.S. Marines. All three men went back to Fiji and completed their education, and after the war returned to the BSIP and became leading members of the public service. Dakei joined the Medical Department and was in charge of the x-ray equipment at Central Hospital in Honiara. He helped to begin the Red Cross in the Solomons and later became President to the branch. He also formed a band among the medical staff which made the first recordings in the Solomon Islands, including Walkabout Long Chinatown (q.v.), by Edwin Sitori. Dakei himself wrote another famous tune, Auki Love Song. He died on 15 August 1977 in Gizo. (Webber 2011, 194; SND 19 Aug. 1977)

Related People

Published resources

Books

  • Webber, Roger, Solomini: Times and Tales from Solomon Islands, Troubador Publishing Ltd, Leicester, UK, 2011. Details

Journals

  • Solomons News Drum, 1974-1982. Details