{"id":3671,"date":"2020-01-23T19:03:21","date_gmt":"2020-01-24T00:03:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exploringed.com\/?p=3671"},"modified":"2022-12-23T06:17:27","modified_gmt":"2022-12-23T11:17:27","slug":"vanuatu-volcanoes-ocean-and-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exploringed.com\/vanuatu-volcanoes-ocean-and-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Vanuatu \u2013 Volcanoes, Ocean and Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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In our bungalow on the remote Tanna island, we saw and heard the Mt. Yasur volcano erupting several times every hour.<\/p>

\"View<\/p>

The next day we drove through the desolate and windswept ash field in front of the volcano.<\/p>

\"Mt.<\/p>

As we looked at the stairs to the rim, we felt rumblings, smelled sulfur and saw plumes.<\/p>

\"Steps<\/p>

We proceeded onto the ridge in our closely monitored group.<\/p>

\"Ridge<\/p>

By this time, everyone had on their hard hats, goggles, and dust-masks and were looking into the crater, while resisting the strong winds.<\/p>

\"Mt.<\/p>

Dusk was approaching and eruptions were now visible in an orange hue filtered by blue-tinged gas.<\/p>

\"\"<\/p>

Finally, the sky was black, and we saw the fury of the volcanic bursts.<\/p>

\"Mt.<\/p>

We realized how small and powerless we were next to the volcano. The experience was riveting but very scary.<\/p>

Why We Travelled to Vanuatu<\/h2>

In September 2019, my wife Khadija and I went to California for our dear friends Peter and Caitlin\u2019s son’s wedding. Before then, the four of us were having drinks in New York and decided to go to Australia. Since we would be making this long journey, it was a no-brainer to check out some Pacific Ocean nations. To us, Vanuatu is relatively straight forward to fly to and is full of cool things to do. It also isn\u2019t well known in our circle of friends, which made it more exciting.<\/p>

The main draw for us was Mt. Yasur which far exceeded our expectations.<\/strong> Beyond the volcano, the country has quality lodging as well as guest houses in remote forests. There are many areas for diving and snorkeling. Importantly, it was an opportunity to learn about the fascinating cultures of Melanesia.<\/p>

\"Men<\/p>

Travel Itinerary for Vanuatu<\/h2>

Vanuatu is an archipelago of over 80 islands.<\/strong> We had only a week, including arrival and departure, so we decided we could only go to two islands. We chose Efate<\/strong>, where the capital Port Vila is, and Tanna Island<\/strong>, where Mt. Yusar is. If we had another three days, we could have gone to any of the five islands which are especially interesting: Ambrym<\/strong> with grade-figure carvings and two active volcanoes, Espiritu<\/strong> Santo<\/strong> with scuba diving for wrecked ships, Pentecost<\/strong> where bungee jumping originated, Epi<\/strong> with charming fishing villages and Malekula<\/strong> with tribes wearing only Namba covering. To properly experience all seven islands would have taken at least three to four weeks.<\/strong><\/p>

In Efate, we stayed in a Port Vila resort. In Tanna we split our time between a resort and rudimentary accommodations by Mt. Yasur, which provided two different and enjoyable experiences. Air Vanuatu has a 40-minute propeller-plane flight between Tanna and Port Vila. We hired cars and trucks for transportation or used ones provided by our hotel or guest house.<\/p>

We were there during the main tourist season, from July to December. The other months are hotter, more humid and in some areas rainier. There are daily flights between Port Vila and Australia and Fiji.<\/p>

Is Vanuatu Safe?<\/h2>

In Vanuatu, the crime level is very low but like everywhere visitors should be careful, especially in Port Vila, at night and in deserted areas. You are unlikely to have problems, but if you do it probably would be from natural occurrences (sharks, flooding, landslides, earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis) than theft.<\/p>

Where is Vanuatu?<\/h2>

Vanuatu is about 2,000 km (1200 mi) northeast over the Coral Sea from Australia, about 1,000 km (600 mi) southeast of the Solomon Islands and about 1,000 km northwest of Fiji.<\/strong><\/p>

Brief History of Vanuatu<\/h2>

Vanuatu is part of Melanesia (\u201cislands of black people\u201d) which is composed mainly of the countries of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea and the French department of New Caledonia.<\/strong> The classification was based mainly on black skin color which is different than those in Micronesia and Polynesia. Most experts believe Melanesia was originally settled by the Lapita people from East Asia who probably walked there during low ocean levels of the last glacial period. (Lapita culture is also believed to have founded Polynesia and parts of Micronesia but by arriving on boats.)<\/p>

While Melanesians are black-skinned, they are not related to Africans except perhaps tens of thousands of years ago as humans migrated out of Africa. They are also distinct from Indigenous Australians. What is unusual is that blond hair appears in the Melanesia population, the only place outside of Europe.<\/p>

\"Blond<\/p>

A Spanish expedition was the first Europeans to discover Vanuatu in 1606 and they were unsuccessful in establishing a settlement. Europeans returned in the second half of the 18th century and British Captain James Cook in 1774 named it New Hebrides. Soon afterward both the British and French colonized different parts of the archipelago. Eventually the two countries formed a government called a \u201ccondominium\u201d that divided New Hebrides into separate English and French communities (nick-named \u201cpandemonium\u201d because of the inefficiencies from having two overlapping governments). In 1980, the country became independent and named itself Vanuatu which means \u201cOur Land Forever\u201d in many Melanesian languages. The people called themselves ni-Vanuatu and are 98% Melanesian.<\/p>

Language of Vanuatu<\/h2>

There are three official languages, French, English and Bislama, a pidgin language derived from English. There are also over 100 local Melanesian languages. We were in a primary school in Tanna Island where there were displays of Bislama phonics.<\/p>

\"Vanuatu<\/p>

Bislama and other pidgin languages partially came about because of blackbirding, which was a despicable practice of tricking Pacific Islanders onto boats and kidnapping them to work on sugar plantations and cotton fields in Australia and other places. The amalgamated language developed in order to communicate with the captured from other islands and the agricultural overlords. Unbelievably this practice was not stopped in Australia until 1904.<\/p>

Port Vila, Capital of Vanuatu<\/h2>

Most visitors on international flights arrive in Port Vila. It\u2019s a good city to learn about the national culture. We found it\u2019s worth a full day of visiting. If you are in a resort you like, you could stay longer. Another day is possible if traveling the shore highway around Efate, the island Port Vila is on.<\/p>

Here is a map of Efate.<\/p>

\"Port<\/p>

Vanuatu National Museum<\/h3>

The cultural highlight of the trip was visiting the Vanuatu National Museum<\/a><\/strong> housed in a traditional, high-roofed building. The museum has several well-displayed exhibits including Lapita pottery, slit drums (a hollowed log with a slit used as a percussion instrument, sometimes made with human features). It also had historical exhibits depicting cannibalism (practiced into the 19th century in Melanesia and elsewhere), blackbirding, and conflicts with European explorers. I liked the collection of grade-figures, where the size and carving technique of a statue reveal the hierarchy of the individual. This figure represents an 11th step chief.<\/p>

\"Vanuatu<\/p>

This statue is from Ambrym Island as most are. Grade-figures and slit-drums from Vanuatu are highly prized by collectors and found in major museums including the Metropolitan Museum in New York.<\/p>

A highlight was seeing sand drawings, which are geometric figures drawn in sand with a fingertip that never leaves the ground. Coincidentally, one-line drawing has become very popular on social media. In the following video, the artist is drawing a blackbirding ship.<\/p>