Up the Aelan.
On the second weekend of our arrival in Malekula we were fortunate enough to be invited along to join a small group of German and Italian tourists on a trip up the Malekula east coast to Rano and Wala. It was a good chance for both Karlos and I to get orientated and familiar with the local culture and landscape. We were off to experience the Smol Nambas of Rano. Smal Nambas are one of two main tribes in Malekula. The other being the Big Nambas. Traditionally warriors (and sometimes cannibals) the two tribes coexisted on the island. Nambas refers to the woven sheath that males wear to cover (and undoubtedly protect) their privates! We travelled up via 4×4 truck over the bumpy coral roads and through the numerous puddles. Me catching the sunshine on my pasty white legs on the way.
Morning light meets a tropical crimson iris growing in our garden.
Karlos beside our Department of Tourism truck – Vanuatu –‘ Discover What Matters’.
Local transport – either in or on the truck – both valid travel options.
Let the Dancing Begin!
We were greeted by the lovely Veronique dressed in a beautiful blue ‘Mother Hubbard’ dress. She explained we were about to move on in to the village. A conch shell was repeatedly blown and the beat of rhythmic hand-drums commenced welcoming us – manuhiri like – on to the central dancing ground.
Smol Nambas dancer enters the dancing ground. The flowers he carries are related to the ginger plant and represent the chief’s eldest son.
Vigorous dancing during the Eagle dance – complete with ornate feathered headdress.
The women of the Smol Nambas sing and stomp rhythmically with necklaces made of seeds and shells.
Cultural Feast
Many cultural practices are still active in Malekula. People are connected to their family and tribal lands – they still grow, process, and make many products and continue to use these much like their predecessors did. Western tools and machinery are here but it is costly and often unnecessary. We have been told that tourism has re-awoken some of these arts and many families and tribes are happy to share and demonstrate their traditional skills and knowledge to help supplement their still significantly subsistent lives and pass the knowledge to their pikinini (children). The Smal Nambas were keen to show us various aspects of food preparation, fire-making, construction and manufacturing. We were invited to share in the preparation of a local delicacy – Sor Sor Laplap – which literally translated means ‘Unity’ Laplap. Usually made from a base of grated wild yam, manioc (cassava) or varieties of banana. We were shown the grating of the manioc using the serrated end of a natangura palm frond, the mixing of the gratings with water to form a paste and the distribution of the mix inside green bamboo. Fire was then made (no beehive matches here) and used to light the ‘bush oven’ where the bamboo was directly placed.
Local woman grates and mixes manioc (cassava) with water in a banana leaf.
Demonstration of breaking open a mature coconut for use on the sor sor (unity) laplap meal we were about to share.
Three young men work together to make fire using local wood and dry coconut husk.
Success! A fibre torch is then lit to be taken to light the ‘bush fire place’
Demos
During the cooking we were invited to see demonstrations of local weaving and sand-drawing. Many plants have multi use over here. Natangura is a magnificent local large-leaved palm. A little like a nikau but with more lush foliage. This is woven; laced and sown intricately with young bamboo to make most of the traditional roofing panels – woven well it is water tight for decades. Pandanus, coconut palm, and bamboo also have multiple uses. Flat woven mats are used widely for sitting, sleeping, eating, and even as wall panelling. Softer fibres are used for bags, baskets, traditional clothing, fans, brooms and even children’s toys. Sand-drawing is a unique local custom. Used to communicate messages to people at a time prior to paper and the written word and well before modern communications. Common drawings still have meaning and we were invited to take a non-educated guess as to what each drawing signified.
Weaving of coconut palm in to a floor mat.
Other creative uses of coconut palm and pandanus – including ornate bags, musical instruments, produce baskets, child’s toys, and fans.
The art of sand-drawing. A local form of communication prior to cell phones! The artist’s finger rarely leaves the ‘canvas’. This picture represents that a local woman is pregnant with twins.
Kakae
After the fire had cooked the manioc, it was carefully removed from the bamboo and placed in banana leaf baskets. A delicious mixture of fresh coconut milk was poured-over and the tourists – us included – were invited sit cross-legged with our washed hands on woven mats inside the eating hut to pull off pieces and dip it (fondue-like) in to more of the coconut mixture – Delicious! And to Karlos agreement – vegetarian.
The mixing of coconut meat with coconut water to create coconut milk/cream. And you thought it just came in a can!
Karlos washes his meal down with green coconut water through a bamboo straw. The wreath around his neck is from a fragrant plant – a local deodorant.
Karlos and I at the conclusion of the tour with the local male dancers.
Mifala I go long Wala.
And if that wasn’t enlightening enough – we still had half the day remaining. We travelled up the island further along a very picturesque coastal road and past local communities and beautiful colourful concrete churches – waving to local children along the way. Our white skin clearly a novelty – as we heard a child (perhaps of 3) run out to yell and wave furiously, “Halo White Fala!”
We were to head out to tiny Wala Island about 1km off the mainland. Wala is home to around 200 inhabitants. The island is approximately 1.2km west to east and a little smaller east to south. A picture postcard island of white coral sand, blue water, and green jungle. It has no natural streams or rivers sources for drinking water and an outrigger canoe ride to collect potable water is still common practice during dry season. Half the population are Catholic Francophone and the other Presbyterian and English speaking. The 75 or so school aged children on the island catch the banana boats every morning and night to attend school on the mainland. The five families on the island have clearly demarked territories and much cultural history including the placement of hundreds of mysterious monolithic ‘kastom’ stones – sourced from many other locations around Vanuatu. Exactly how they got there and when is unknown. The stones are so large and so strategically placed it is reminiscent of Stonehenge or parts of Egypt. Huge rafts would have to have been built and carts or sledges with many dozens of people pulling and pushing them would have been needed. For whatever reason Wala is archeologically significant and still retains its hidden secrets and significance to the local people today.
Nasara (spiritual ground) where literally hundreds of monolithic sized stones have been rafted, carried, and strategically placed from all parts of Vanuatu for ceremonial rituals. The ginormous Nabanga (banyan) trees providing a mysterious canopy.
Our group negotiating the slippery jungle path complete with ‘bush umbrellas’ after a downpour.
Cruisy
Incidentally Wala is also port-of-call to a number of annual cruise ships – calling in to drop off around 2500 passengers at a time from Australasia every month or so. Wala transforms to a small marketplace and the beach is inundated with stalls, snorkels, masseuse, hair-braiders, and outrigger canoes. This is part of my project – to assist the local community with hosting these inevitable visitors and enhancing the benefits to the inhabitants while retaining the quality of the environment. There are a number of challenges of course – particularly relating to retaining momentum within the local community to see cruise passengers as a possible source of extra revenue when these are so irregular – but that is all part of the role. Wala (and Malekula in general) already gets a small and unique but loyal number of demographically and economic different independent tourists – mainly from Europe and New Caledonia. So the differing needs of these people and this type of market must also be considered in the mix of tour options.
Calling All Kiwis!
A further challenge will be to get more intrepid Kiwis and Australian to visit the beautiful shores and experience adventure and a unique and authentic culture – very hard to find in existence in the world today. Malampa is just on your doorstep!
Karlos with Wala Island Tour guide Etienne Tiasiamal – about to board a ‘banana boat’ to Wala Island.
About to arrive at the floating jetty at Wala Island. The beautiful turquoise water fascinating the tourists.
Beautiful Wala Island beach – a favourite snorkelling spot for about 2500 Australian and New Zealand P&O Cruise passengers each cruise – arriving intermittently throughout the year.
Some of the locally made stall frontages along the beach – on cruise days set up to sell local handicraft, food (kakae) kava, and Tusker beers.
Karlos and I about to leave Wala after an hour of snorkelling on the beach. The brightly coloured coral and the many fluorescent reef fish illuminated in the transparent waters.
See you soon/Lukim Yu!
outscape.co:blog 