The Western Province was an area feared for head hunting in the 19th Century. The use of human heads or skulls was central in the burial customs and death beliefs of many of the Marovo Lagoon islands' people.

Frequent raiding took place between islands in search of heads which were used in many rituals including burials and the launching of new Tomoko (war canoes). Raids extended not only within Marovo Lagoon, but also as far as Guadalcanal and Isabel, where the southern coast became so depopulated and terrorised that the remaining population were reduced to building and finding shelter in tree forts.

Prior to about 1850 the situation had calmed down during the so called "Great Peace"; however, the arrival of Europeans with iron axes to trade quickly destabilised the region, leading to  renewed raiding. Of all the Western Province, Roviana was the most feared for head hunting. War canoes carried carved figureheads called nguzu nguzu on their prows in the shape of a dog with either a skull or a dove in it's paws depending on the ill or goodwill of the mission.

The headhunting was put down by force by the British District Commissioner, George Woodford, in 1900.