Vila, Vanuatu

Kia Ora!


 Ever organized, P&O Cruise Lines had the many tour options all lined up by time and number.We appeared at the correct time and duly our number was called.

Some of the tourists found themselves carrying more than their fair share.

Not to miss out on a thing, I signed for three tours with the most important one first, an experience of the Melanesia's indigenous culture.Transported in minivans and welcomed on arrival by a call blown on a conch. It was photo-op!



The tourists, all Kiwi with one Anerican, followed our leader along a jungle path. Suddenly there was a lot of angry and fierce yelling. We were surrounded. Natives with spears threatened us from behind the palms.

The entry to the village is tapu (fobidden), indicated by an upright palm branch in the center of the path. Our guide negotiated with the "natives". He made the correct inquiry and responses and the blockade was removed. We were welcomed in.

Our guide led us from station to station all carved into the jungle and connected by narrow paths. At each he explained or demonstrated a different aspect of the culture. Though not a native English speaker, his speech was easily understood. At this station, he explained traditional way of trapping small animals and birds for food.

A spider is persuaded to create a web between two sticks creating a net which the Melanesians use for fishing, among other methods.

Holding a human skull, our guide did not shy away from his tribe's history of cannibalism. Overpopulation and war were among the pressures leading to eating human flesh. The last incident of cannibalism occurred in 1985, not in this tribe he assured us, but on a northern island. He also mentioned that leaping from the tops of the trees with jungle vines fastened around the ankles originated in the northern islands. Bungy jumping had its source in this country. Too bad the natives couldn't copyright the concept!

Not as fierce as its appearance, a coconut crab is on leash to amuse the tourists, to be freed later. For its confinement, it has all the coconut it can eat.

I asked what the experience of the tribe was during WW II. He did not have that experience himself but related his father's experience. "We were afraid, not of the soldiers, but of the airplanes. The Americans were on this island. The Japanese were in the Solomon Islands."

One of the women demonstrated food preparation. Tasks appear to be divided by gender: women are responsible for food preparation and creation of trinkets to sell to tourists. Men are the actors, dancers, singers, and hunters. Our guide implied the hunting still happens in traditional ways, assuring us that life was one happy non-stressful continuum in the bush.

He also noted that the tribe is financially supported by tourism and thanked us for visiting their tribal exhibit.


Even the children got into the act, dressed in unisex grass skirts.

The final station was a dance performance by the men, now out of the bush and not so fierce.




I was particularly impressed with the band, melodic and rhythmic, performed with enthusiasm. As evidence that not all of civilization's technology has migrated to the jungle, there were no CDs for sale. However, I imagined that someone might discover

this group, as Paul Simon did with the South African group, expose them to the western world, probably ruining the culture. Yes, they were that good, bottles and sticks notwithstanding. Note the guitars.

One tour done, two to go. Next was snorkeling in the rain. Who cared? We got quite wet either way. Reef Explorer took us out into the harbour where I bravely dropped off the edge of the boat, sank underwater, sputtered, got help with the mask and snorkel and took off. For about 30 minutes, I paddled around, head under water, to see fish more easily viewed in the tanks at Petsmart. But it wouldn't have been the same!

The third tour did not happen. Four fat women (really! including me) turned up to parasail behind a speedboat. Unfortunately a winch broke with the group just before us, who must have been fatter than we were.

There was more opportunity to be had in the many stalls along the road on the way back to the ship. I resisted. The usually assertive shop keepers were tucked back in their stalls out of the rain.

Our full day complete, we sailed out of the harbour headed toward Auckland. We will be three days at sea before arriving. Next, aboard the ship ....

Cheers,
Kiwi Traveler