The Last White Canoe of the Lau of Malaita, Solomon Islands.

The article focuses on *The Last White Canoe of the Lau of Malaita, Solomon Islands*, the first book-length study of a 1968 project documenting the construction and ceremonial use of a "white canoe" among the Lau people. This canoe, adorned with white shells and cockatoo feathers, symbolizes complex social, ceremonial, and exchange practices rather than merely material culture. The book, produced through collaboration between anthropologist Pierre Maranda, Lau author James Tuita Dede, and ethnographer Ben Burt, combines detailed ethnographic records with local perspectives and is published bilingually in Lau and English for the Lau community. It highlights the canoe’s role in affirming clan networks amid cultural change during Christian conversion, while also addressing challenges related to the representation and ownership of traditional knowledge. The volume contributes significantly to Oceanic studies and indigenous language publication, offering a culturally grounded account of Lau kastom during a period of transformation.