IN THE MALEKULA ISLAND COURT
HELD AT LAKATORO/ MALEKULA
(Civil Jurisdiction)

Civil Case #. 33 of 2009
Judg. #

BETWEEN:

MATTHEW MALTERONG
(Original Claimant)

AND:

FAMILY BAHORMAL
(1st Counter Claimant)

AND:

FAMILY NARONMAL
(2nd Counter Claimant)

AND:

FAMILY LIATLATMAL
(3rd Counter Claimant)

AND:

FAMILY MALSERAKE
(4th Counter Claimant)

AND:

WANIEL EMIL
(5th Counter Claimant)

AND:

ALBERTO MUTOSERLUO
(6th Counter Claimant)

AND:

FAMILY MRENMAL
(7th Counter Claimant)

AND:

TITO MALTELOUR
(8th Counter Claimant)

MATTER: 	DISPUTE OVER JIFLY TAETOL BLONG LOWO NASARA

Coram: Jastis Douglas Fatdal
Jastis Shema Tasvaille
Jastis Endy Shem

Clerk: Wendy W. Raptigh

JUDGMENT

Brief backgraon blong case:

Civil Case # 33 of 2009 hemi wan customary matter concernem dispute long Jifly taetol blong Lowo nasara, hemia long Walla Island. Case ibin go long trial from 1st – 4th March, 2011 hemia long Orap sub centre. Emia ol assessment mo findings blong Island Kot follem ol statement mo wokabaot insaed long nasara disputed. 

Issue: Whu ia long olgeta claimant ia igat raet long custom blong karem taetol blong Paramount Jif blong Lowo nasara?

Summary long claim blong wan wan claimant:

Original Claimant – Matthew Malterong

OC iclaim se em nao ifounder blong Lowo nasara. OC ikam long mainland long Lawor Nasara Amelseresu, nakamal Semtamat. Malterong ibin resifim sam tribes mo emo klem se Lowo nasara idivide or gat 3 pat long em. Malterong iklem Jifly taetol folem blad laen.
OC iklem se ibin kat 4 namagi ikil long nasara Lowo.

Counter claimant 1 - Bahormal 

Counter claimant wan emi claim; Jifly taetol blong Ama nasara, blad laen blong hae Jif Mrewla daon to Bahormal mo ownership blong Pongsine nakamal.

CC1 emi talem se emi kam samples long Malekula mo settle long mainland long boundary blong Baterkebu. Emi talem tu se igat man mo kastom long Baterkebu (mainland) bifo emi arrive lon Wala. Emi talem tu se emi settle long Wala island olsem wan man come received by Awop nakamal. Emi talem se Awop nakamal emi fes nakamal own by Meltekuwor, second Pongsin, 3rd Aim, 4th Nawou, 5th Lowowu mo 6th Ginetra. Witness 5 emi talem se line blad generation blong Meltekuwor istill laef istap tru long em (witness 5). CCI emi soem wan ston blong big jif long Kot mo em talem tu custom system blong tekem up jifly position we emi tru long blad laen. Emi soem tamtam site long Lowo nasara. Court inotem se CCI emi kat own cultural belief blong hae Jif blong em (Bahormal).

Ol custom identity blong jif igat; original pasis, sheltera mo sheltalep (Tabu rod), royal grave, sacrifice ples (Desmits), singsing blong Jif, Nimspon (forhead house long ston blong Jif) mo Nimagi Nimasgavul a Luwo.

Counter Claimant 2 – Family Naronmal

Kot ilukluk long stamen blong CC2 mo finem se Naronmal istap claim blad laen blong Jif Riani mo claim se emi founda blong Lowo nasara.

Counter Claimant 3 – Family Liatlatmal

CC3 oli claim ownership blong Nibaurtra mo ownership blong Lolamel long Lowo nasara. 
CC3 emi soem long kot ston we emi claim insaed nasara Lowo. Kot ifinem long statement blong CC3 ino kat clear statement blong statem clearly claim ova Jifly taetol blong Lowo nasara. CC3 emi talem long Kot se kasotm system blong karem Jifly position emi no follem blad be ifolem teaching. Cultural belief blong em, emi believe nomo long God trinity. CC3 emi talem bifo long Kot se tribe blong em ikam long Unua mo tokbaot tu residential ples blong em Walamare (Norsup).

Counter Claimant 4 – Malserake

Kot I lukluk long statemen blong Malserake mo cross examination toktok blong ol nara counter Jif Matawo se emi chief founda blong Lowo nasara.

Counter Claimant 5 – Waniel Emil

Kot ilukluk long statmen bling Waniel Emil mo cross examination blong ol toktok blong ol nara counter claimant mo finem mo harem se CC5 emi no claim Jifly taetol blong Lowo be emi kam blong claim 50 pig we iolsem kaun blong Lowo nasara we israp bifo okam kasem yet tudei we oli no pem bak yet ol pig ya mo claimem ston blong jif Botobreng long Lowo nasara olsem nasara spika blong big jif blong Lowo nasara. 

Counter claimant 6 – Alberto Mutoserluo

CC6 emi klem; Jifly taetol blong Lowo nasara mo blad laen blong Jif Nmaliteinvanu long line generation blong em.

CC6 emi talem long Kot custom system blong tekem up Jifly taetol emi base long blad laen. Emi muv out long mainland long LAwor mo settle long Wala island. Ibin gat man istap finis long boundary we tribe blong em iko settle long em. Emi participate long 4 namangi long Lowo nasara. CC6 Kot inote se emi gat own belief blong em long god ia Malmitenvanu. Emi add on blong talem se emi tekem tabu faea long Ama fes existing nasara, be emi no save whu ia Jif emi tekem tabu faea long em. Then afta few questions emi talem bakegen se emi tekem long Lawor. CC6 italem tu se man Atchin irecifim em long Wala. Emi talem long Kot se Aim nakamal we emi olsem big Jif mo founder istap long dispute.

Ol identity; royal grave, ples blong worship, ston blong namangi mo ston blong big jif blong em.

Counter claimant 7 – Mrenmal

Kot ilukluk long statement blong Mrenmal mo tekem ol toktok long taem blong trial blong ol nara counter claimant mo finem se Jif Mrenmal istap claim se emi founda blong Lowow nasara.

Counter claimant 8 – Tito Maltelour

CC8 istap claim; Jifly taetol blong Lowo nasara mo emi entitle tru long blad laen generation blong Diavu. CC8 emi talem long Kot se Diavu emi ownem boundary Awop long nakamal Tsiniesnawas. CC8 italem tu se emi tribe long Ameluwe long main land mo muv igo long Wala island. Emi soem wan ston se blong big Jif long end blong Lowo nasara (western side). CC8 italem se custom system blong tekem up jifly taetol emi follem blad laen. Long nasara tamtam emi stanap klosap long Aim area afta Awop mo emi soem site blong 3 tamtam. CC8 igat own god blong em Yotoran mo ikat 5 namangi ikil. Ol identities blong emi gat ston blong Jif, sacrifice ples, nakamal (Awop), pasis site mo namangi ston.

Findings blong Kot 

Original Claimant

Long cross examination Kot ifinem se Malmeljenumel istatem nakamal Lowohu mo mekem nasara Lowo. Kot ifinem se Malterong ikam wetem taetol blong Jif finis long Lawor blong kam buildim Lowo nasara long Wala island. Jif Malterong isave how blong kilim namaki finis long Lawor mo kam mekem sem fasin blong kilim namagi blong statem nasara blong Lowo.
Kot ifinem se yes Malterong ibin resifim sam tribes be emi no talem ol tribes blong wea. Kot ifinem se ikat wan position blong big Jif long Lowo nasara. Kot ifinem se emi stap long fes stating blong nasara nem Amel meleken then imuv ikam long medel blong nasara.
Kot ifinem se Lowo nasara ikat six nakamal. Long visitation long site OC isoem se ikat 3 pat blong Lowo nasara olsem wei ol counter claimant oli talem long Kot. OC long fes pat ikat ston long em blong statem nasara Lowo. Second pat blong nasara OC ikam blong explenem long Kot royal throne blong big Jif long medel blong nasara Lowo. OC ikam blong some long Kot registration ston blong em we emi kat wan.

Kot iaware se OC bin konfemem ol kastom identity blong em se ikat ol kastom samting oli stap;Dveletan, Duveletan Mare, Navun, Altar ston, 2 ston blong Jif end mo medel, Nakamal Lowohu mo Lolnamel. Wetem emia Kot isatisfy long ol findings blong OC.

Counter Claimant 1 - Family Bahormal

Court inote se yu wan tribe blong sam nara ples long Malekula, yuk am settle long wan boundary (Wala) we ikat man mo custom iexist long hem finis. Yu bin received long Wala Island tru wan existing nakamal nem Awop under Lowo nasara tru Meltekuwor we line blad istill laef yet olsem witness 5 blong yu iconfemem before long Kot. Wetem emi a CC1 klem blong em ifuldaon.

Counter Claimant 2 – Family Naronmal

Kot ifinem se CC2 istret blad laen blong Riani olsem we istap long statement.

Kot ifinem se yes History generation blong family Naronmal ikam long Partawo long Bananbay. Long statement ino talem nem blong nasara mo nakamal we emi kam long em long Bananbay.
Kot ifinem se yu Naronmal yu no bin mekem wan kastom iko long Jif Worenmal blong talem tank yu long em follem fasin blong kastom we emi resivim yu.

Kot ifinem se ikat man istap finis long smol island blong Wala olsem wei istap long statement.
Kot ifinem se long statement ino talem hamas namaki ikill long Lowo nasara. Long cross examination Naronmal ikam blong talem se ikat 3 namagi ikil long Lowo nasara.

Kot ifinem se yes ikat 3 pat blong Lowo nasara. Kot ifinem se ston blong Jif Naronmal we emi claim long nasara Lowo we istap long statement istap long end blong nasara long las part blong nasara Lowo. Taem Kot ivisit nasara Lowo ifinem se las part blong nasara Lowo ino complit.

Kot ifinem se tufala fes part blong nasara tufala icomplit olsem we yumi save luk long nature blong kastom blong buildim wan nasara. Jif Naronmal isoem long Kot stone blong Botongen.

Jif Naronmal isoem long Kot stampa Tamtam wei kilim wan pikinini leari. Naronmal italem long kot se Lolamel iples blong miting ino wan nakamal. Jif Naronmal italem long kot se blong yu kilim namaki yu stanap long graon mo kilim pig long ston.

Ol kastom identity blong yu se yu kat ol kastom samting ya oli stap; kastom nakamal Nau, ples blong sakrifaes nem blong God Riri, Tanda ston, ston blong rain, kastom snake nem Ruwbets mo pasis Petiw. Wetem emia CC2 klem blong em ifail.

Counter claimant 3 - Family Liatlatmal

Court inote se long statement blong yu ino kat clear position blong claim long matter we istap bifo long Kot ia be yu mentionem long toktok blong yu nomo. Main claim blong yu emi concernem Nibaortra mo Lolamel blong Lowo nasara. Yu tribe we ikam long Unua olsem we yu confemem before Kot mo yu talem se ples blong yu Walamare long Norsup.

Counter Claimant 4 – Malserake

CC4 istap claim blad laen blong Bouhor kam kasem Jif Maltawo we emi se emi founda blong Lowo nasara. CC4 ino talem long kot how traveling blong em long mainland ko kasem long Wala island long statmen blong em. Long cros examination emi talem se ikat wan man nem blong em Sefri irisivem em long Wala island. CC4 italem long kot se emi killim wan pig long fes namagi blong putum ston blong Lowo nasara. Long statemen CC4 ino save talem long Kot which boundry long mainland emi kam long Haim nasara mo nakamal blong em long mainland.

Long cross examination emi talem se kastom blong smol island ikam long Lawor mainland wetem tabu faea. Long nasara Kot ifinem se iolsem ol nara counter claimen oli talem se ikat 3 part blong nasara. CC4 isoem ston blong em we istap long middle. Kot iaware olsem we yu bin talem ol kastom identity blong yu se yu kat ol kastom oli stap; kastom nakamal Pongsin, ples bling sakrifaes, pasis, seltra, ston blong nakamal, royal grave, kastom sigsing mo ston theonr blomg big jif.

Counter Claimant 5 – Waniel Emil

Kot ifinem se CC5 ikam blong boundry blong Lalep boundry we 50 pig ikamaut long em olsem wan kaun iko long Lowo nasara. Long statemen CC5 ikam blong talem long kot se Lowo nasara em reflectem origin nem ples Lawor. Long statemen CC5 italem long kot se landing tribes blong Wala Island imas be ol kastom governance blong original system blong mainland tribes anda long wanem title we wan jif ikasem.

CC5 i talem se ikat 6 nakamal long Lowo nasara; Awop, Lowowo, Aim, Pongsin, Nibaurtra mo Nawu. CC5 italem se long Kot emi karem jifly title blong speaker blong big jif blong Lowo nasara olsem sam long ol nara counter claim oli confermem long kot.

CC5 ise blong kam wan Jif emi tru long bladlaen olsem we ol nara counter claimant oli claim. Kot ifinem se yes ikat 3 part blong Lowo nasara olsem wei ol counter claimen ol talem long kot. CC5 isoem stone blong em we italem em se emi kat Jifly title olsem speaker blong big jif blong Lowo nasara. CC5 ino save ansarem kot taem kot iaskem em blong talem nem blong big jif blong Lowo nasara wei em ispeaker blong em. Hem italem nomo se istand end. CC5 isoem long kot ston blong Nvasgavui a Lowo wei kat kaon blong 50 pig istap yet blong Lowo nasara ipem bak, em ston blong las manaki we emi namaki Nvasgavula Lowo.

Kot iaware se CC5 ol kastom identity blong em se ikat oli stap lo kastom nakamal Aim. Koi ikam blong talem se CC5 ino klem Jifly taetol blong Lowo nasara, emi klem 50 pig wetem emia CC5 kleim blong em ifuldaon.

Counter Claimant 6 - Alberto Mutoserluo 

Kot inote se taem CC6 isettle long Wala Island ikat man ilaef wetem custom blong em istap finis. CC6 bin participate long 4 namangi nomo where as ikat indication blong 5 namangi long ol narafala claimers wetem approval blong ston. Kot igat confusion long wea ples CC6 karem tapu faea long em. Mo CC6 italem tu se man Atchin emi recisfim em long Wala mainland mo nakamal we emi hed long em olsem wan hae Jif blong nasara emi stap long dispute. Wetem emia CC6 klem blong em ifuldaon.

Counter Claimant 7 – Family Mrenmal

CC7 ikam long Penticost olsem we istap long statement. Taem CC7 ikam so long Wala long Ptonjiley pasis Kot ifinem se Jif Nimbal nao irisim em. Kot ifinem se ikat man istap finis long Wala island taem CC7 ikam so long Wala. Long statement CC7 ino talem hamas namaki emi kilim long Lowo nasara be long cross examination emi talem long kot se ikat 3 namaki ikill long Lowo nasara. Kot ifinem se CC7 ino save talem or ansa long Kot from wanem rison emi wantem sitemap Lowo nasara. Kot iconfuse taem CC7 italem se Lowo nasara emi seken build nasara long Wala island be long ol toktok blong em icontradictem toktok blong majority blong ol claimen we oli se Amelnator nasara em seken nasara we oli bildim long Wala Island mo Ama nasara emi fes wan. Kot ifinem se bae ino possible blong ol tribes blong Penticost itravel tugeta ikam so long Wala island mo buildim tu separate nasara. Long visit long nasara CC7 italem se yes ikat 3 pat blong Lowo nasara olsem we ol counter claimant oli talem long Kot. CC7 ikat ston long nasara Lowo we istap long medel blong nasara. CC7 isoem long Kot ples we Tamtam Leraminvanu istap long em mo isoem ol ston blong las tribes blong ol man Pentecost long medel blong nasara we istap tu long dispute. CC7 isoem ston blong Jif wei stap long Aim nakamal mo isoem ston blong Nmalsagvul olsem wei ol nara counter claimant oli talem. Kot iaware long ol kastom identity we oli stap; igat kastom nakamal Haim, igat tabu faea, igat ples blong sakrifae mo igat kastom ston pig. Wetem emia CC7 klem blong em ifuldaon.

Counter claimant 8 (Tito Maltelour)

Kot inote se ston blong big Jif we yu claim istanap kolosap long end blong nasara (Western part) blong Lowo.

Law we Court I applaem:

CAP 167 (s.10) – Application of customary law

Subject to the provisions of this Act, an island court shall administer the customary law prevailing within the territorial jurisdiction of the court so far as the same is not in conflict with any written law and is not contrary to justice, morality and good order. 

Translate:

CAP 167 (s.10) – Kot hemi mas applaem kastom

Subject long seksen blong Act ia, aelan kot hemi mas aplaem kastom we istap insaed long eria blong paoa blong hem, spos oli no gat conflict wetem eni loa we oli stap raetem, mo no gat konflik tu wetem jastis, morality mo gudfala orda. 

Apply Law igo long ol findings:

Section blong Law we Court ia istap applyem tudei hemia antap – CAP 167 (s.10).
Long case ia tedei evri claimant oli agri se custom Jifly taetol hemi kamaot follem blad line, mo tu ol performances blong namanki ol ston mo ol pruf insaed long wan nasara. Long saed blong adoption sapos blad line ifinis evri wan then adoption long custom isave tekem raet.

Decision:

Wetem ol toktok ya court ikam blong mekem decision se; Original Claimant – Matthew Malterong ideclared tedei olsem big Jif blong Lowo nasara.

Eni claimant we ino hapi long decision ia igat 30 deis blong mekem appeal blong em.

DATED AT LAKATORO THIS 29TH APRIL, 2011.

BEFORE:

______________ 	______________ 	_______________ 	
Jastis Endy Shem	Jastis Douglas Fatdal	Jastis Shema Tasvaillie