Honiara In the 1960s, Pijin became its principal language, and the mother tongue of a generation of young urban adults and children. Through Honiara the language spread and has since become the main language spoken in the islands. Rhys Richards, a New Zealand historian and former New Zealand High Commissioner of Solomon Islands, spent many years in Honiara. In 1979 Honiara was still a relatively small town in terms of population, especially for a capital city, with 18,346 people, of which 10,870 were men, and 7,476 were women. In July 1978, Honiara became the new capital of the independent Solomon Islands.
Honiara Barnabas, Honiara. The Melanesian Brotherhood, established by Ini Kopuria on 28 October 1925, also has offices in Honiara. It operates in East Asia, Australia and the Pacific, and Europe, and has 96 Brothers in active mission work. It is a Religious Community of the Anglican Communion, similar to other Religious Communities, committed to "vows of celibacy, obedience and poverty", by training young men into religious pursuits and evangelism. The Mission to Seafarers Society, also with its offices in Honiara, with its network of chaplain, honorary chaplain, staff, and helpers, communicates with seafarers in the Port of Honiara and many ports