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the Giants had not carried it there but had thrown it, or had got it there some other the Giants had not carried it there but had _ window to a tree, the Premier said, "About Luti Mikode is well known by the people thrown it, or had got it there some other _ that high"—which I estimated to be over 15 around Guadalcanal as "the Chief of the way. feet and which would be consistent with Giants". The story about how he changed Some years ago, as a retired helicopter the 3—4-foot-long footprints they had the Giants' attitude about eating the pilot/engineer I was asked by the chief heli- described. Guadalcanal people about a century ago is copter pilot of an American fishing fleet Apes and monkeys cannot breed with just extraordinary. Luti Mikode's educa- which had helicopters to look after their Homo sapiens. So where do I think the _ tion of the Giants—to the effect that the spare parts requirements, as Australia is Giants came from? I believe they are a Guadalcanal people had hearts, minds and closer to the Solomons than Guam. The — surviving species of hominoid that had _ feelings like themselves, and were not to be job lasted six weeks and I was handsomely _ branched off well before Neanderthal man eaten—resulted in inter-clan wars amongst paid for my little effort. and developed through evolution to be the Giants. I have recorded this widely The office I set up was just opposite the what they are today. The Guadalcanal peo- known and most fascinating story and have old Guadalcanal provincial headquarters, ple also believe that the Giants were there _ proven it to be true. and at lunchtime I would sometimes go before they were. Apparently their gene The Guadalcanal people's language and across the road and have a few beers there pool allows them to breed with the local the Fijian language are very close. There with the then Guadalcanal Premier and the _ people. are over a hundred words in common, Finance Minister, Victor. It was during Why are they so secretive and meaning that a Guadalcanal person can go one of these lunchtimes that they told me universally so shy about being seen or _ to Fiji and speak Fijian within a week and of an encounter with Giants that they'd had known about? I'm sure that within the vice versa (as my good friend and partner some months beforehand. Both the Peter Casi found out when he and his Premier, who is now a national min- band of musicians did a tour there). ister, and Victor, who is again a The Guadalcanal Giants' language Guadalcanal minister, had decided to Ezekiel Alebua, aonce is very similar to the dialect of the go to Gold Ridge to survey the area of the proposed gold mine. In mid- Guadalcanal people. Prime Minister and the previous Tl is well knewn that Giants do afternoon they got into their twin-cab Guadalcanal Premier, told me of a not like fire, possibly because of Toyota Hilux and drove up there. burial cave in east Guadalcanal that their long hair. Some months ago, It's quite a drive, and after passing ° . Ezekiel Alebua told me of an inci- a few villages on the way they his father took him to when he was dent that happened on the arrived at the mine area. A bulldozer | gq child. Within that cave, there isa Weathercoast, south Guadalcanal, perfect Giant skeleton laid out that ad carved out a road, but, as it rains frequently, the road around the side in 2000 during the tension. Five Tangarare men had gone of a hill had become slippery and the is around 15 feet in length. hunting pig with their bows and Hilux slipped off the road's edge and arrows, and during their hunt they ecame bogged. They made some lost track of time. As it was getting effort to get the 4WD vehicle back late and the weather was ominously up onto the road, but then decided to turning to rain, they decided to walk back to the last village they had next decade we'll find out the answer to _ build a sago palm hut quickly and camp the assed and get a bunch of boys to come _ this question. night. They were sitting around a fire with- and help them pull it out. It is my belief that the reason why the in the hut, with the rain pelting down out- Obtaining 30-odd men, they walked Solomon Islanders' population is far side, when a huge hand and arm came ack. As they were rounding the last cor- smaller than it should be is because the through the hut's wall. An inquisitive ner from where the 4WD was bogged, they Giants of the islands considered the local Giant had leaned over the hut and was feel- saw their vehicle back up on the road with people as food to be eaten. ing around for what was inside. The five two huge Giants standing there, one in Eyewitnesses who have been captured men started screaming and using sticks front of it and other behind. The first reac- and released have told me that it is just like from the fire to beat the monstrous hand tion for all of them was to run away, daytime inside the mountains. There isa away. Horrified, they ran straight through screaming in absolute fear. They told me lighting system within the Giants' cave the back wall of the hut, into the darkness that when they got the courage up some dwellings that has no obvious light source, of the bush. When they found each other alf-hour later, they returned to find the — such as bulbs and lamps. the next morning down on the coast, they Giants had left. Guadalcanal and Malaita have literally _ realised they had dispersed several kilome- I asked how tall the Giants were. They hundreds of caves with Giant artefacts _ tres apart. told me that the taller of the two was the within. Ezekiel Alebua, a once Prime There is a World War II mystery that has one that had lifted the front of the vehicle Minister and the previous Guadalcanal _ never been solved about why initially there up onto the road. They said that when they Premier, told me of a burial cave in east — were no Japanese to resist the Allied Forces inspected the footprints, they could see that Guadalcanal that his father took him to at Red Beach and Henderson Airfield. each Giant had picked up the vehicle by when he was a child. Within that cave, This was uncharacteristic of the Japanese putting one foot on the road and the other there is a perfect Giant skeleton laid out’ who, on other island campaigns, had near the vehicle. Pointing out through the that must be around 15 feet in length. always fought to the very last. When the next decade we'll find out the answer to this question. It is my belief that the reason why the Solomon Islanders' population is far smaller than it should be is because the Giants of the islands considered the local people as food to be eaten. Eyewitnesses who have been captured and released have told me that it is just like daytime inside the mountains. There is a lighting system within the Giants' cave dwellings that has no obvious light source, such as bulbs and lamps. Guadalcanal and Malaita have literally hundreds of caves with Giant artefacts within. Ezekiel Alebua, a once Prime Minister and the previous Guadalcanal Premier, told me of a burial cave in east Guadalcanal that his father took him to when he was a child. Within that cave, there is a perfect Giant skeleton laid out that must be around 15 feet in length. 62 ¢ NEXUS WWW.NeXU smagazi ne.com AUGUST — SEPTEMBER 2003