@paulcarterca: On Guadalcanal, I came across two fascinating local customs. The first is chewing betel nut - mixed with a mustard-like vine called taka and slaked lime from coral. The result? A deep red saliva that eventually turns your teeth black, a mark of elder status. Men, women, and even children take part, and the sight of blood-red stained teeth is unforgettable. The second custom is the “car wash.” Locals drive their cars straight into the rivers where they meet the ocean to clean them. But when heavy rains cause the river to rise, it takes a team effort to push the cars back out. Simple, communal, and unlike anything I’d seen before - customs that tell so much about daily life here. #BetelNut #BetelNutChewing #TakaVine #SlakedLime #Guadalcanal #GuadalcanalCulture #GuadalcanalCustoms #Solomonislands #SolomonislandsCulture #SolomonislandsLife #SouthPacific #SouthPacificTraditions #Pacificislands #PacificislandCulture #IslandLife #IslandTraditions #CulturalTraditions #LivingHistory #CulturalAnthropology #Anthropology #DailyLifeGuadalcanal #CarWashCustom #CarWashCulture #IslandCarWash #GuadalcanalHistory #WWIIHistory #WorldHistory #HistoricTravel

PaulCarterCA

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Wednesday 20 August 2025 23:43:34 GMT