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Firstly, Tikopia is a tiny tropical island located Southeast of the Solomon Islands. It is inhabitated by some 1300+ polynesians with a strong yet unique culture which had been well preserved over the ages. It is this culture that makes Tikopian culture one of the most well preserved cultures in Polynesia. The island had been discovered in the early 1600s by Spanish explorers. To this day it remains uncertain which type of people were the original inhabitants who were killed by recent settlers leaving just women and children, the latter party whom became the predominant race on the island. People who originate from Tikopia are called Tikopians.
There are currently more Tikopians living outside Tikopia Island in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, and in various settlements, than on Tikopia island itself. The current total Tikopian population in the Solomons would be estimated to be 3500 to 4000, making up part of the 3% Polynesian ethinicity. Solomon Islands is predominantly Melanesian (94%) in ethnicity, 3% Polynesian, 1% Micronesian and 1% others.
The history of Tikopia had been passed from generation to generation through word of mouth, songs, art and cultural traditions. Thus little is documented until the era of exposure to European explorers and missionaries. The famous late ethnologist Sir Raymond Firth had lived on the island of Tikopia in the mid 21st century and studied Tikopia as a society, its people and culture and had published several books about Tikopia and other Polynesian groups within the Pacific. He brought to light a mostly secretive society embedded deep within the most remote and barely accessible parts of the Solomon Islands.