🐚 Tolai

Shell Money People of New Britain

Who Are the Tolai?

The Tolai (also called Gunantuna) are a Melanesian people of the Gazelle Peninsula on New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea, numbering approximately 150,000-180,000. They speak Kuanua, an Austronesian language of the Oceanic branch. The Tolai are one of Papua New Guinea's most politically and economically prominent indigenous groups, having had extensive contact with Europeans since the 19th century. They are known for their elaborate shell money system (tabu), the secret Duk-Duk society with its distinctive masks, and their significant role in Papua New Guinea's political and economic development.

150-180KPopulation
AustronesianLanguage Family
East New BritainRegion
Papua New GuineaCountry

Tabu Shell Money

The Tolai shell money system (tabu or tambu) is one of the most sophisticated indigenous currencies still in active use. Tabu consists of small shells (Nassarius) threaded onto rattan strips, counted in various denominations. Unlike static wealth, tabu circulates through exchanges—bride price, mortuary payments, purchasing goods and services, and ceremonial transactions. The system requires specialized shell collectors, string makers, and complex accounting. Tabu continues functioning alongside the national currency (kina), with exchange rates fluctuating. This dual economy demonstrates how indigenous monetary systems can persist in modern contexts. Tabu embodies social relationships—its circulation creates and maintains bonds between individuals and groups—making it far more than simple currency.

Secret Societies

The Duk-Duk and Tubuan secret societies were central to traditional Tolai political and religious life. The Duk-Duk, a male initiation and ritual society, featured masked figures representing spirits that emerged at important times—their appearance enforced social norms, collected debts, and maintained order. Tubuan, a related but distinct society, involved different masks and functions. Women had their own secret societies. Initiation into these societies involved payments, training, and revelation of secret knowledge. Colonial administration attempted to suppress these societies, viewing them as threats to government authority, but they persisted. Today, Duk-Duk and Tubuan ceremonies continue, adapted to contemporary circumstances, during which masked figures still appear for mortuary and other rituals.

Contemporary Tolai

Modern Tolai are among Papua New Guinea's most educated and politically active groups. Early colonial contact brought missions, schools, and exposure to European ways; Tolai were prominent in the colonial workforce and later in independence movements. The Mataungan Association of the 1960s-70s opposed colonial land alienation and advocated for indigenous rights. Tolai have held prominent political positions in independent Papua New Guinea. Economically, cocoa and copra production provide income, and Rabaul (until its destruction by volcanic eruption in 1994) was a major commercial center. The 1994 eruption displaced much of the population, destroying Rabaul town. Tolai culture remains vital—Kuanua is widely spoken, tabu continues circulating, and ceremonial life continues. The Tolai demonstrate how indigenous peoples can maintain cultural distinctiveness while actively engaging with national politics and global economy.

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