Juju Mamas

Mormon Church

2012-01-26T13:35:00.000-08:00

We passed a Mormon Church and there was a lot of hustle and bustle going on. It looked like wedding. The Ni-Vans have taken to Christianity but they still believe strongly in their own Kastom which can be a very strange mix at times.

Houses For Sale

2012-01-23T12:34:00.000-08:00

Our friend Geraldo, who lives in Pango, seemed to know all the real estate that was for sale and wanted to show us.

Back to Pango Road

2012-01-22T14:02:00.000-08:00

We didn't stay chatting to Paul for too long as he was really busy packing up some Tikis to send to a museum in France. We left the way we came in and saw a sign that the Michoutouchkine/Pilioko Gallery was 'appointment only' on a Sunday. It was Sunday so we headed back to Pango Road.

Paul Gardissat

2012-01-21T14:07:00.000-08:00

We had stumbled upon the home of Paul Gardissat, a well known Port Vila resident. Paul told us he was Algerian French and had lived in Vanuatu since the '60's when Vanuatu was still known as the New Hebrides. I recognized his name as I had seen a book around town called Nabanga with his name on it. He had been recording Vanuatu's oral legends and translating them for us all to enjoy. He has also been digitally preserving early String Band music that he originally recorded. He was a very interesting man and we had a good chat about Vanuatu and how the culture was getting lost. Thank goodness for people like Paul Gardissat who are working hard to record the culture of Vanuatu before it catches up with the modern world.

Wrong Turn

2012-01-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

We took a wrong turn at the end of the driveway and ended up at a house with an array of primitive art. There were lots of tikis and masks everywhere and from all over the Pacific not just Vanuatu.

Lotsa Tikis

2012-01-18T12:50:00.000-08:00

We walked down a beautiful long driveway until we reached an area that was surrounded by Vanuatu Tam Tams (slit drums) and Black Palm Totems. It was starting to look interesting.

Visit to Pango

2012-01-16T12:56:00.000-08:00

We decided to visit Pango one Sunday. Pango is a large area in Port Vila that overlooks the Erakor Lagoon. Our young friend Geraldo lives there in a Bible College while he studies at school in Port Vila. So we met up with Geraldo and decided to do a wander around. The first place we came across was the Michoutouchkine/ Pilioko Foundation.

Lunch at Baywatch

2012-01-14T14:20:00.000-08:00

Just before we had turned up at Chantilly's, at the worst moment we could have, we had just been lunching at Baywatch which overlooks the Port Vila Harbour at Fatumaru Bay. The restaurant had been recommended by our hotel owners and for 1000 vatu we got a wonderful meal and a freshly squeezed lime juice. The owner is French so the food has to be good. The day was absolutely perfect as you can see.

Full Force

2012-01-12T14:31:00.000-08:00

During our stay in Vila it was suggested to us that we should talk to the managers of Chantilly's, which is a local hotel, as they were interested in exhibiting some local artists in their hotel and we wanted to talk to them about Simex. We turned up there at the worst possible moment to speak to the manager as a local bus had just been driven off the road by a local Frenchman. Port Vila is a small town and they knew who the culprit was but he wasn't sticking around. No one was injured thank goodness but I had to laugh at the name on the bus! Quite appropriate I thought!

Farewell to Simex

2012-01-08T13:42:00.000-08:00

During our stay in Vila we managed to hook Simex up with a Hotel Manager who was interested in promoting local Ni-Van art. Simex was very appreciative for all we had done for him and when it came time to leave Simex was at the airport to see us off. It was a Saturday and being a 7th Day Adventist he had come straight from church and was looking very smart in his 'Saturday Best'.

Matana Watalam

2012-01-07T14:31:00.000-08:00

We didn't see Simex for a few days but when we did he brought us a new painting that he had painted especially for us with his new paints. He told us what his Mataso painting meant. Matana Watalam means 'Eyes of the Chief'. The Chief being the Paramount Chief of Mataso Island who was Simex's father. So the eyes in the painting are that of the Paramount Chief who gave permission to the missionaries to come and teach Christianity to the Matasos. The missionaries are represented by the book which is the bible. The crosses represent Christianity and the 4 tribes on the island. The colours are also very important in this painting. Red represents blood because the Matasos were cannibals. Green is for the bush and jungle they live in. Blue is for the sky and sea and white is for the white fella or the missionaries clothing. We were so proud to receive this beautiful painting from Simeon Shem a talented artist from Mataso Island and son of the Paramount Chief.

Anchor Inn

2012-01-06T14:27:00.000-08:00

When we walked into the Anchor Inn we could see it was pretty busy because there was a cruise ship in town. We saw Rimi, who is Simex's sister in law and a waitress there. She walked up to us and with a straight face she said "Sorry I cannot serve you here.....we are only allowed to serve tourists in this establishment....." Of course she was only having us on. Ni-Vans have a wicked sense of humour and I have been caught out a few times I must admit! But I must say I was quite chuffed as I felt I had just recieved an 'Honorary Local' Award.

To the Anchor Inn

2012-01-05T13:31:00.000-08:00

We gave Simex his art materials which he was very grateful for and it was really great to catch up with him again. We decided to wander down to the Anchor Inn for lunch. I noticed a cruise ship was in port as we walked along Fatumaru Bay so I knew the Anchor Inn would be busy as it seems to be a popular watering hole for the tourists.

Simex

2012-01-03T13:40:00.000-08:00

On our last visit to Port Vila I had made a quest to meet the Mataso Printmakers. We had become good friends with Simeon Shem, nickname Simex who is one of the artists and we had sent him a parcel of art supplies when we had got back to Brisbane. On this trip we were armed with new supplies of art materials to give Simex as they are very expensive and difficult to get hold of in Port Vila. We went to the Anchor Inn, a local watering hole, where Simex's sister in law, Rimi works to let him know we were in town. The next day Simex turned up at the hotel to greet us.

Lunch at Chill

2012-01-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

One of the things I like doing the most in Port Vila is to treat our 'adopted young Ni-van', Geraldo and show him a bit of the 'other side of life'. This day we took him to lunch at 'Chill' one of my all time favoutite restaurants in Port Vila. At lunch you get a beautiful a choice of meals and a drink (that includes alcohol if you prefer) for 1200 vatu (approx AUS $12.00). The food and service are great there and if you are lucky enough to get a seat at the window the view of the harbour is wonderful. If you look straight down into the water the you will see an amazing array of sea life. Port Vila doesn't need an aquarium.

Lini Highway

2012-01-01T13:58:00.000-08:00

The Lini Highway actually takes you all the way around Efate. The busiest part being between the airport and through town. My hotel wasn't far up the road and I knew my hubby would be be wondering where the hell I was. I'd had a wonderful little excursion wandering around the backstreets of Port Vila and meeting all sorts of new Ni-Vans friends. No wonder this place was voted 'Happiest Place on Earth' 2008 and 2010.

Kasem 'The Best'

2011-12-30T14:29:00.000-08:00

I finally reached the Lini Highway. The Lini Highway is the main road that leads to town so I knew where I was now. There was a pretty fancy bus stop across the road courtesy of Digicel which I recognised.

Tebakor Center Kava bar

2011-12-29T14:01:00.000-08:00

Just as I was about to reach the Lini Highway I stumbled upon another Kava Bar. Once you head out on foot you realise that Kava Bars are everywhere in Port Vila and how kava is such a big a part of life for the local Ni-Van.

Grace Store

2011-12-28T14:22:00.000-08:00

I thought the Grace Store might be some sort of religious shop but it was just another typical Asian Store selling anything from food to ...well leis for example!

Hari Store

2011-12-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

I headed down towards the Lini Highway as I knew I would find my way home from there. I passed a small shop which looked like a Ni-Van store and ahead I could see another store which was obviously Asian run.

Port Vila Dog

2011-12-26T13:43:00.000-08:00

As I walked out of the Shepherd Studios I noticed a dog asleep in the grass and I woke him up as I took his photo. There are heaps of dogs in Port Vila that seem to be running around loose. They all look the same breed......mongrel.

Hand Signals

2011-12-23T14:41:00.000-08:00

I had a great time meeting these lovely friendly people. It was time to say goodbye. The Pentecost Islander I had shared nuts with earlier introduced me to her son. He was wearing a Fest' Napuan T shirt as well and he was very impressed to see I was wearing mine and that I had attended the concert the night before. I took one last photo before I left and they posed with some typical Ni-Van hand signals. The Ni-Van use hand signals for communication a lot and they can ruin many photo opportunities with a 'thumbs up' but I loved this shot as they are using a variety of hand signals at once and it was so typical!!

Anyone for Crab?

2011-12-22T14:09:00.000-08:00

Ni-Vans, as I have said are a very shy race but they also have a wicked sense of humour. These ladies were very shy to begin with but decided a crab would make a good prop for our photo opportunity.

The Mamas

2011-12-20T13:32:00.000-08:00

I guess me turning up was probably the most exciting thing that had happened all week and the longer I stayed the more people turned up to say "Halo". Ni-Vans are generally a very shy race but incredibly friendly at the same time and it is very easy to make friends with them. These Mamas were proud to show off their pikininis to me.

Shooting the Breeze

2011-12-19T13:01:00.000-08:00

As I sat there chatting to my new friend an Olfala joined us. There were lots of pikininis running around of course and they were fascinated by the new arrival!

Shepherd Studios

2011-12-17T15:27:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon this lady who was cracking nuts to eat so I struck up a conversation with her. She shared her nuts with me while we chatted. I found out she was from Pentecost Island and that she lived here at the Shepherd Studios. The studio meaning studio apartments I guess.

Kava Bar

2011-12-16T13:52:00.000-08:00

I passed the local Kava Bar or Nakamal as they are also called. Kava is made from the roots of the kava plant. It isn't alcoholic, it is more of a relaxant but it can become a big problem just like alcohol if imbibed too much. Vanuatu is proud of it's kava as it is the strongest in the South Pacific especially when it comes from some of the Outer Islands.

Room for Rent

2011-12-15T14:05:00.000-08:00

I decided to take a road that was heading in the general direction towards the Lini Highway which is the main road that leads to town.

The Road to Ohlen Village

2011-12-14T14:02:00.000-08:00

I decided to take the road towards Ohlen Village. I had been down this road before on my last trip. This was the road we took to go to the Ohlen Village to meet the Mataso Printmakers. The road hadn't changed and because of the recent rain was a bit of a wash out so I turned around and headed back. I passed the Weng Store on the way. There are hundreds of these little Asian Stores around Port Vila servicing the local villages.

Which Road to Take?

2011-12-13T13:40:00.000-08:00

The roads in the backstreets of Port Vila go on forever and it didn't really matter which road I took because if I got lost there would no doubt be a bus not far away. Of course a bus is just a van with a few seats in it and a B on the license plate. It feels like the majority of vehicles on the road in Port Vila are buses.

Wood Smoke

2011-12-10T14:28:00.001-08:00

The smell of Port Vila is the smell of wood smoke. The local Ni-Van use wood to cook with and it is usually Burao. You can buy stacks of it at the Market. By the late afternoon Port Vila is engulfed in a fine wood smoke which has a nice smell because of the wood they use.

Sweeping Up

2011-12-09T14:22:00.001-08:00

I came across this mama and her pikininis sweeping the road and I they posed for a photo for me. It was nice to see this mama keeping her little piece of paradise clean and tidy.

Hanging Out

2011-12-08T13:31:00.001-08:00

I met some more pikininis before I went on my way. The pikininis in Vanuatu are always extremely shy but I always carry a bunch of lollies in my bag for moments like this. That is always an icebreaker although I always ask their parents first before I offer one as I always hear the words that we taught our kids. "Don't take lollies from strangers"!

Making Friends

2011-12-06T13:57:00.001-08:00

It is very easy to make friends in Vanuatu as everybody is just so warm and friendly. On my walk the local Ni-Van would either wave or give me a thumbs up as I was wearing my Fest' Napuan Tshirt. One person did ask if I was lost as they aren't used to seeing the Whitefella walking around the backstreets of Port Vila. This mama and her pikinini saw me take a photo and came out to say 'Halo' to me.

Mifala I salem Yellow Fin Tuna

2011-12-04T20:51:00.001-08:00

Mifala I salem Yellow Fin Tuna long plesia. Which means I sell Yellow Fin Tuna here. I'm not sure if they really did anymore as the sign was ancient. I just love the Bislama language and have a great time translating it as it is a form of Pidgin English and pretty easy to learn.

Tebakor Hill

2011-12-03T14:47:00.001-08:00

I love wandering around the backstreets of Port Vila. I like to experience the real Vanuatu and to meet the local Ni-Van in their own environment. We were staying at the Coral Motel which is in Tebakor on the Lini Highway. So one morning I donned my new Fest' Napuan T shirt and with my trusty camera in hand I decided to go head up Tebakor Hill and onto the backstreets.

Fest' Napuan

2011-11-29T13:58:00.001-08:00

I was really impressed with the Fest' Napuan I must say. I didn't know if they stuck to the program as I hadn't heard of any of the bands anyway except for Ruff House. They all played damn good Reggae though. The Ni-Van audience were a very quiet audience. They didn't dance, they certainly weren't very vocal and they hardly clapped. When a group of Aussies formed a group and danced the Ni-Van just watched them wide-eyed!! The only time they showed any reaction was when somebody did something funny on stage. The 'Monkey Boys' a local comedy group of 'Cross Dressers' had them in fits of laughter. I must admit their act had me laughing even though I could hardly make out what they were saying as it was all in Bislama! The MC was also hilarious and kept the show moving along at an entertaining pace. We spent one night at the Fest' Nalenga and two nights at the Fest' Napuan and thoroughly enjoyed it. The audience were quiet and respectful. I mingled amongst the crowd taking photos and I never felt any angst from anyone. I would recommend the Fest' Napuan to any one!!

Mike/ Sound Engineer

2011-11-26T14:25:00.001-08:00

I recognized the sound engineers from the concert the night before buying some kaekae so I decided to ask them a few questions about the Fest' Napuan. Mike was particularly friendly and took us backstage to see the program for the next three nights. Thanks Mike, you guys did an awesome job!

Kaekae Stalls

2011-11-25T15:17:00.001-08:00

Many of the Kaekae stalls were open for business but we had just finished a late breakfast so we weren't up for eating. We had a good chat with some Kiwis at the New Zealand stall. One of the Maori fellas said he had come to Vanuatu for a holiday in August and was still there. It was now November. I know exactly how he felt!! Their roti looked damn good and I made a promise to myself that I would visit that stall in the evening for some kaekae.

Saralana Park by Day

2011-11-24T14:11:00.001-08:00

We headed up to Saralana Park the next day to have a look the venue we had been at the night before. The park was completely surrounded by Kaekae Stalls and some were open selling food.

Dokowia Stephana ( Island Girl)

2011-11-23T14:06:00.000-08:00

Six Prisoners Escape

2011-11-22T13:42:00.001-08:00

We really were enjoying the Fest' Nalenga when halfway through the show the MC announced that some prisoners had escaped from the nearby prison because they had heard the music and wanted to see the show...... so hold on to your pikininis. We had a good laugh about that but the next day when we read the the Daily Post it seemed a lot more serious. 6 high-risk inmates had escaped from the so-called maximum security facility. The reasons given for escaping were "the management were tightening up the rules by clamping down on the smuggling of kava into the facility" and the other one was "some were reacting as a response for not wanting to be in the high-risk facility". They were only rapists and murderers!!

Fest' Nalenga

2011-11-20T13:27:00.001-08:00

The first night of the music festival was the String Band section called the Fest' Nalenga. This was the main reason for us being there. We had come to see some of our favourite String Bands including Tokosouwia, Dokowia, Dausake, Lautano II and Jipajiroa. I found the program on the Fest' Napuan website before we headed up to Saralana Park where the concert was being held. The first act was supposed to be Jipajiroa who were meant to kick off the concert at 6:20pm. Alas the show didn't kick off until much later which didn't surprise me as things tend to happen on 'Aelan Time' in Vanuatu. Jipajiroa played last in the end but at least they played!! Our biggest disappointment though was that most of our favourite bands didn't turn up for the event even though their names were clearly written on the program!! There was a competition during the festival in which every band had to write and perform a 'Faetem Korapsen' song and there were a lot of speeches talking about political transparency in Vanuatu. The local Ni-Van might come across as a simple race but they are as sharp as tacks and know exactly what's going on in their country!

Fest' Napuan

2011-11-10T12:00:00.001-08:00

The reason for coming to Vanuatu this time was to see the Fest' Napuan which is a music festival held in Port Vila every year. The music scene is very big in Vanuatu especially String Band and Reggae. The String Band music is very unique to Vanuatu and is very infectious. Having made several trips here now I caught the bug! The theme of this year's festival is 'Faetem Korapsen!' which means of course 'Fight Corruption'. There is a lot of political corruption going on in Vanuatu as in most places but it's great to see the local Ni-Van making a stand on the matter!

Bakegen!

2011-11-08T14:31:00.000-08:00

Well here I am 'bakegen' in Port Vila, Vanuatu voted 'Happiest place on Earth' 2006 and 2011 by Lonely Planet. It's time for some new 'Adventures in Paradise'.

Last Day in Villa

2011-11-05T15:35:00.000-07:00

The next day was our last day in Vila, we were flying back home to Brisbane that afternoon. We had spent a month in Vanuatu and it still wasn't enough. The day was absolutely magical which didn't help matters. We spent the morning with our young friend, Geraldo, who wasn't feeling too happy about our imminent departure and neither were we! Vanuatu had become a second home to us now and we knew it wouldn't be long before we came back.

Last Farewell

2011-11-04T15:10:00.000-07:00

We had met up with Simeon the night before our flight to Tanna Island. In the morning after we arrived back from Tanna we got another call from Simeon. He wanted to see again before we flew back to Brisbane. So that night we met Simeon again at the Anchor Inn. Simeon had brought us more gifts. Apparently he had wanted to give us another painting and had tried to find some paints to buy in Port Vila but there were none to be found. So he brought us some beautiful island necklaces that his sister had made instead. We couldn't believe Simeon's warmth and generosity. We promised to send him some paints and brushes when we got home to Brisbane which was actually the next day. We did send him a nice parcel of art materials by the way!!

Simeon's Gift

2011-11-01T14:05:00.000-07:00

We found out that Simeon had organised to meet us as he wanted to give us a gift. The gift was a magnificent painting of a 'Coconut Man' painted on a large woven mat that his Auntie had woven for him. The painting is about the connection between Australia and the Mataso Printmakers and it is absolutely beautiful. We felt truly humbled by this wonderful gift.

Simeon

2011-10-31T21:44:00.000-07:00

The next morning we received a call from Simeon. He asked if we could meet him at the Anchor Inn that evening. The Anchor Inn is a local watering hole in Port Vila. Simeon turned up right on time which is unusual for a Ni-Van and we found out that we had made a big impression on Simeon and the other printmakers. Simeon also made a big impression on us. He seemed to be a very gentle man with strict Christian values that he follows.

Batick

2011-10-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

While we chatted to the Mataso Printmakers, our guide, Batick had been patiently waiting for us. We had a wonderful time with these people. I told them how I had seen their work at GOMA and how much I admired it. They were so warm and friendly to us but I think we had pretty much bowled them over with our visit. It was time to go and we exchanged phone numbers and we told them we would stay in touch. It was pitch black by then and Batick used the light on his mobile phone to guide us back to the Coral Motel. Batik had a long walk home himself after that but he refused to take anything from us including the bus fare. Thanks Batick!

Mataso Printmakers

2011-10-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

I didn't know quite what to expect when I went looking for the Mataso Printmakers. I guess I thought I was going to find find them working away in a workshop but it wasn't that way at all. These people are living in what we would consider poverty. They have had a major exhibition in Sydney with their 'Bebellic Portfolio' and their work has been exhibited at the APT6 at the Gallery of Modern Art where I discovered them. In fact GOMA has purchased some of their works. When we spoke to the Printmakers they told us they had never received any payments for their works. They weren't working on anything new as they had no workshop or materials. They had been promised a mentorship in Australia, let's hope it happens for them.

Jack Sivici

2011-10-27T14:42:00.000-07:00

Jack Sivici

Jack Sivici turned up to meet us then. Jack seemed to be 'the voice' of the Mataso Printmakers. He told us that the Queensland Art Gallery had organised a mentorship for the Mataso Printmakers with Dennis Nona, one of my favourite artists from the Torres Strait. They were still waiting to hear from them.....I wonder if it ever happened? I'll be finding out soon!!

Herveline Lite

2011-10-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

Herveline Lite

Le Pigeon de Mataso

Next we met Herveline Lite. Herveline is another of the Mataso Printmakers. Her 'Pigeon de Mataso' is one of my favorite Mataso prints. We chatted to them about their work and they gave us the history about how the Mataso Printmakers were formed. In the meantime a phone call had been placed to Jack Sivici who is Herveline's partner as everyone wanted us to meet him.

Simeon Shem

2011-10-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

Simex

Pawpaw/ Breadfruit

Lucy made a few phone calls on her mobile phone and soon a young man appeared. It was Simeon Shem aka Simex, one of the Mataso Printmakers. The Coconut/Pawpaw print I have shown in a previous post is his artwork. It was pretty much pitch black by then. We were then invited to the Mataso living area to meet some more of the Printmakers.

Lucy

2011-10-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

When we got the Ohlen/Mataso village, with the help of Batik and the entourage that we had picked up along the way, we managed to locate the Mataso part of the village. The Mataso people come from the island of Mataso which is situated 50 kilometres off Efate. Due to economic circumstances, Mataso Islanders have relocated to the satellite village of Ohlen in Port Vila. Batik did all the talking for us and finally a Mataso lady called Lucy came to our rescue.

To the Ohlen/Mataso Village

2011-10-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

Batick told us to meet him at 5pm and he would take us there. He said there was no point going earlier as they would all have gone wokabaot. Which really meant the printmakers may be at work during the day. So with Batick and Ruth, the house girl, in tow we headed to the village. It was a fair distance actually and we had to walk through the backstreets of Vila to get there. We managed to collect a few more people on the way as everybody we passed seemed to want to help us find the village.

Mataso Printmakers

2011-10-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

Pawpaw/Coconut by Simeon Shem

During my visit to Port Vila I decided to go on a quest to meet the Mataso Printmakers. I had seen their work at the 6th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT6). I had learnt that they lived in a village called the Ohlen/Mataso Village. I asked Beth, our host at the Coral Motel, about the village and she said it wasn't too far and she would ask one of the house girls about it as she used to live there. Before I knew it I had an offer to take me there from the Ruth, our house girl and Batick who also worked at the Coral. They didn't know about the printmakers but were willing to take us to their village to see if we could find them.

The Coral Motel

2011-10-16T14:34:00.000-07:00

When we arrived back at the Coral Motel in Port Vila where we had been staying for a few weeks it was like coming home. We even called our host's Beth and Tony 'Mum and Dad' because they had looked after us so well during our stay with them. We were really pleased to see them again and it was really nice to be back in our lovely apartment. The only problem was my husband was hanging out for a Tusker Beer and it was a Saturday afternoon and there is no alcohol for sale after 12pm Saturday until Monday mornings in Vanuatu. No worries even though Tony doesn't drink he always keeps a small supply for his guests in case of times like this!! Those guys were the best. We wouldn't stay anywhere else now.

Time to Leave Tanna

2011-10-15T15:01:00.000-07:00

Finally the time came to leave Tanna Island. We hadn't had the adventure we had planned for but we certainly had some adventures that we hadn't planned for. I was happy to be heading back to civilisation if you can call Port Vila that. In fact the thought of the Coral Motel was looking real good to us. Joseph, Helen's son in law drove us to the airport with Helen's daughter. Of course there were a couple of hitchhikers who came along for the ride.

Fishing on the Lenakel Foreshore

2011-10-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

When we got back to the bungalows we decided to to explore. We discovered that a path took us down to the rugged foreshore. Everything seems to have a rugged beauty on Tanna Island. You really do feel you are in some ancient land. We discovered a couple of young girls fishing there.

Sunset Bungalows

2011-10-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

I think we discovered every inch of Lenakel on our wanderings and it was nice to come back to the bungalows. The bungalow was very basic but very clean and the surroundings were absolutely gorgeous. Helen owns the bungalows and it is a family run business. We found them all to be very friendly and helpful.

More Stores in Lenakel

2011-10-02T15:23:00.000-07:00

Lenakel is certainly not lacking in stores but to try and find one open on a Sunday would an impossibility. Imagine if just one Ni-Van opened their store on a Sunday what business they could make. Maybe not as there weren't too many people around. Instead of calling it Blackman Town, I was ready to call it Deadman Town....well on a Sunday at least!

Immigration and Boarder Control

2011-10-01T14:33:00.000-07:00

I wonder what kind of 'boarders' they are wanting to keep in control? A few spelling lessons may be in order here.

Church on the Hill

2011-09-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

There was a beautiful old church up on the hill in Lenakel. I'm not sure if it was still being used as it looked pretty rundown but I guess everything in Lenakel was run down!!

Tanna Sistas

2011-09-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

As we walked around we met these little sistas. I thought they were brata and sista but they assured me they were sistas. Sooo cute!!

Sunday Washing

2011-09-25T14:50:00.000-07:00

This is one way of getting all your washing dry when you have run out of room on the line.

Tom Naing Strore

2011-09-23T16:07:00.000-07:00

Just another store in Blackman Town. I thought while I was in Lenakel that "they needed some enterprising Asians to move in and open some stores" but apparently there were and they were kicked out. That is why they call Lenakel 'Blackman Town' as all the businesses are owned by Ni-vans. I guess that is OK if all you want to buy is a tin of mackeral or corned beef!!

Best Service in Town

2011-09-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

Man Tanna seems to be keen on the whole Xmas thing. I had seen some traditional dancers from Tanna before and they seem to wear Xmas tinsel as part of their traditional dress. Now I was on Tanna I kept seeing Xmas reference everywhere. I don't think it was because they forgot to take last year's decorations down either. Notice the tinsel for sale in the Muna Market.

Denja Blong Ded

2011-09-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

Another Publik Notis in Lenakel but this one isn't handwritten. You can pretty much make out what is said as Bislama is a form of Pidgin English.

House of Worship?

2011-09-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

I couldn't figure out if this was another store or a House of Worship. Probably both as the Ni-Van worship both Jesus and Digicel. Digicel is the new phone company that brought competition to Vanuatu and forced the rates down so every Ni-Van could afford a mobile phone. Everywhere seems to to have a top up service. If you could find them open that is!!

Your Nearest Door Step in Blackman Town

2011-09-17T16:15:00.000-07:00

On our wanderings we passed the Uma Guesthouse. Another great sign and just a bit of proof that Lenakel is also known as Blackman Town.

Nambawan Botel Shop

2011-09-16T14:42:00.000-07:00

Right next to the fuel station was a different kind of fuel station called the 'Nambawan Botel Shop' and right next to that was the 'J.Samson x3 Store'. We thought our luck was in when we saw the Botel Shop but although the sign said '24 hr sevis' it definitely wasn't open. Not that was any surprise as we were in the Islands 'where the coconut falls from the tree when it's ready'!! Just loved the picture of Samson fighting the lion though.

Fuel Stations

2011-09-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

These little fuel stations are found all over Vanuatu. They sell a variety of fuels from car petrol to kerosene. The local Ni-Vans just take their jerry cans and have them refilled.

The Tree House

2011-09-12T22:26:00.000-07:00

As we continued along the foreshore we came across a tree house where somebody obviously lived from the washing on the line. What an outlook!! We had seen a lot of tree houses on our travels across the island. They were usually built into a Banyan or Fig tree like this one. There are even tree houses you can stay in on the island like the Tanna Tree Top Lodge.

Mama's Washing Day

2011-09-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

A Mama was doing her washing on the beach while her pikininis were playing on the beach. Just another job for the Mamas!

Outrigger Canoe

2011-09-06T15:17:00.000-07:00

As we walked along the foreshore we came across an outrigger canoe. Tanna Island isn't known for its beautiful white sandy beaches but it has a rugged beauty that can be almost formidable at times.

Friendly Man Tanna

2011-09-04T15:10:00.000-07:00

Just near the banyan tree we did meet some friendly locals who were keen to have a chat and were happy to have their photo taken. I must admit in Vanuatu the men tend to sit around all day while the women do all the work. In the markets you will only find women selling the produce. Even catching fish seems to be a woman's job.

Chief's Banyan Tree

2011-09-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

I had been told about a famous Banyan tree on Tanna Island that the Council of Chiefs use as their Nakamal or place of meeting. Local villagers come to seek advice from the Chiefs who in turn seek advice from the Banyan tree. We found the famous tree and there was some sort of meeting going on. We thought it disrespectful getting too close for a photo opportunity so we came back the next morning to have a good look.

Lenakel Market

2011-09-01T15:03:00.000-07:00

We wandered along and came across the local marketplace. The market is always the hub of these small towns. We found the locals to be not overly friendly in Lenakel which was not what we were used to after spending time in Port Vila where everybody wants to have a conversation with you. I put it down to being shy as I found the locals to be in the outer islands. As we walked along the road in town we would hear little whistles from the locals as a kind of bush telegraph that we there. Man Tanna as they are known by in Vanuatu have a bad reputation in Port Vila and I must admit I was getting that feeling in Tanna.

Map of Lenakel

2011-08-31T14:54:00.000-07:00

We checked out the Lenakel map but we couldn't find a 'bottle shop' on it so it wasn't much help to us. After our big adventure 4 wheel driving across the island we really were hanging out for a Tusker beer but that wasn't the easiest thing to find in Lenakel. We finally did discover a store with a fridge and yes there were a few Tuskers hidden away in there. We bought the store out of beer and came back to the bungalow with 4 bottles. We felt we had really scored big time!!

On the Foreshore

2011-08-30T14:12:00.000-07:00

Some more pikininis at play. In Vanuatu you rarely see a child with a store bought toy. They just make their own fun out of anything. They are such a delight and so unspoilt.

Safety First

2011-08-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

As we walked along the foreshore we saw an Inter-island ferry getting ready for departure. We had often seen this boat loading up with people in Port Vila and wondered where the destination was. It really looked like an old rust bucket and I was hoping that with 'Safety First' written across it really did mean it was safer than it looked.

Publik Notis

2011-08-28T15:31:00.000-07:00

We were flying back to Vila the next day so we had a fair bit of time to fill. We had inquired at The Bungalows about going to a Cultural Village but it was very expensive and we had no cash anyway. We discovered there were no ATMs on the island so we pretty much spent our time wandering around Lenakel looking for photo opportunities which was a lot of fun anyway!

Pikininis at Play

2011-08-27T15:24:00.000-07:00

A couple of pikininis were playing on the river with some makeshift boats as we crossed over to the other side and headed into town.

Lenakel

2011-08-26T16:57:00.000-07:00

Once we had booked into the bungalows we decided to have a look around Lenakel. We walked into town which wasn't far but before we reached the town centre we had to cross a shallow river. We ended up crossing this river several times during our short stay and if a ute was driving across it at the same time you just hitched a ride on the back of it!

Sunset Bungalows

2011-08-23T21:38:00.000-07:00

We finally reached Lenakel or 'Blackman Town' as it is called on Tanna Island. I asked someone in Port Vila why it was called 'Blackman Town' and they said because they were proud that all the businesses were run by Ni-Vans. I must admit the town could have done with a few enterprising Asians as although there were heaps of stores there was hardly anything for sale in them. Our driver dropped us off at the Sunset Bungalows which we hadn't asked him to but the place looked nice so we just went with the flow. The bungalows were pretty basic but very clean and we even had our own bathroom. The sun was out and the garden looked just gorgeous.

The View

2011-08-21T14:57:00.000-07:00

We finally reached the summit of the hill we were climbing. The day before we couldn't see this view because of the rain but the rain had cleared somewhat and we were greeted with a spectacular vista. We could see Mt Yasur blowing it's top in the distance and we got a good look at the rugged terrain we had just driven across. The back of the ute was full by then from the number of passengers we had picked up along the way!

The Road

2011-08-19T16:07:00.000-07:00

The road going back was horrendous. All along the way the Tannese villagers were out trying to repair it with their shovels so the 4 wheel drives could make it through. It is obviously up to the locals to maintain the road and they do as it their only means of crossing the island.

Man Tanna

2011-08-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

The rain had eased on our return visit to the Black Sands of Tanna at the base of Mt Yasur and best of all we didn't have to traverse the river by foot. The 4 wheel drive carefully eased it's way across. The driver seemed to know the crossing very well. When we got to the other side our driver and his friend asked if we could take a photo of them with the ute in the background that hadn't made it across the day before. That ute was a right off...it wasn't going anywhere.

Hitching a Ride

2011-08-10T21:27:00.000-07:00

As there is no public transport system of any kind on Tanna Island people rely on hitching a ride on the back of a ute. By the time we got to Lenakel on the other side of the island we had seen many passengers hop on and off. I never saw any money change hands either.

Salva Bay by Tokosouwia

2011-08-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

Our Farewells

2011-08-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

The next morning the rain stopped for awhile as we said our goodbyes to our hosts. We were charged for our meals which we thought had been inclusive in the hotel price and that wiped us of any cash we had. I was really disappointed that we weren't staying another night as we were going to miss out on seeing the John Frum Cargo Cult's Friday bash but I did hear the 'real' history of the "John Frum Movement' from Patterson the guide and the story was completely different from the one that is commonly known. I was really pleased to have gained this knowledge.

Our Plan of Escape

2011-08-03T19:40:00.000-07:00

After dinner that night Hubby and I decided that we couldn't possibly spend another day in this place if the wet weather kept up. We did manage to find out the weather had been pretty much like this for the last few weeks and not long before that they had suffered a lot of damage from a massive cyclone. The next morning we decided to escape with the French couple who we had arrived with. Incredibly they had managed to trek to Mt Yasur's crater at 3am as promised. They were certainly a lot braver and better prepared than us. The poor Dutchman wasn't too happy to hear that as he had been waiting 3 days for the rain to ease so he could visit the crater and was still waiting!

The Restaurant

2011-07-30T16:07:00.000-07:00

As the day wore on we were feeling pretty sorry for ourselves. The rain was relentless and we were pretty much stuck in our little bungalow, in the dark, for the rest of the day. It wouldn't have been that bad if we didn't have some uninvited guests staying with us. Yes, rats!! My husband enlightened me on that one after our afternoon nap. The only thing between them and us was the mosquito net. Dinner was served about 7:30pm that night and we met up again with the French couple whom we had driven across Tanna with. They were a lot braver than us or at least they were better prepared as they had already attempted the climb up to the crater of Mt Yasur but had to turn back because of the weather. Apparently they were going to have another attempt at 3am. We weren't really in a position to go with them as we had no warm or wet weather gear. The volcano isn't what we had come to Tanna to see anyway it was the village of the "John Frum Cargo Cult". On Friday evenings they perform ceremonial rituals and we were hoping to do a tour of that. When we tried to talk to our hosts about organising a tour the price kept changing and were coming to the conclusion that we were going to get ripped off in every little twist and turn at this place.

The Bungalow

2011-07-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

Our bungalow was pretty basic as was expected. We went through our backpack to try and find some dry clothes. Thank goodness we found a couple of items that were still dry but we had nothing waterproof or even warm with us. We were fed lunch, thank goodness, as we were cold, wet and hungry. We had at least taken care of the 'wet and the hungry' but the only thing we could do after that was to huddle under blankets in our bungalow while the rain just came down in torrents!! The place had only a generator to provide electricity and we needed to charge our cameras. When we inquired about this we were charged 10 dollars for one hour's worth of electricity. Our hosts had negated to tell us that the generators were turned on at night for a few hours anyway. We were pretty exhausted so we ended up snoozing the rest of the afternoon away as there wasn't an awful lot else we could do. As we lay there you could hear the ocean pounding down below, the rain coming down and Mt Yasur in the distance blowing it's top! I must admit I was starting to get spooked with the place. When we woke up I told my hubby what a weird, restless sleep I had had and I wished he would have stopped shaking the bed. He told me it wasn't him and he thought it was me shaking the bed. Our bungalow was sitting on the edge of an old volcanic crater on top of soft volcanic soil. I was sure all this rain was going to cause a landslide.

The Wild, Eastern side of Tanna

2011-07-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

We finally arrived at the Sunrise Bungalows which our Air Vanuatu travel agent had booked for us in Port Vila. We were greeted with a lime juice and a lei and were promptly warned that all their umbrellas and raincoats were broken. So any hope of remaining dry was lost. We were shown to our bungalow and when I asked about the private facilities we had booked we were told they were already taken. There was only one other guest staying before we arrived and he was a Dutch Geologist who had been there for a few days waiting for a break in the weather so he could visit the crater of Mt Yasur which is very active. He did have the only bungalow with a private bathroom but he told us that he was wishing he didn't. I'll leave that one up to the imagination.

Eastern Express

2011-07-19T20:04:00.000-07:00

By the time we got to the other side of the river it didn't really matter if we had got a drenching from the river as it was raining so hard we all got wet anyway. As I walked towards the ute, which had been waiting for us on the other side of the river, I stubbed my big toe on a volcanic rock. So by this stage I was wet, cold, tired, hungry and now my big toe was throbbing on top of everything else! We all managed to squeeze into the ute to continue our journey which was another two hours of hell! It rained really hard for the rest of the journey and how the driver managed to negotiate the 'road' I will never know. I noticed the sticker on the windscreen which said 'Eastern Express'. We were headed to the Eastern side of the island and considering the fact that Tanna Island is only 19kms (12 miles) wide there was nothing 'Express' about this trip!

Black Sands of Tanna

2011-07-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

The River

2011-07-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

It was right at this stage that the rain came in hard and fast. I had to put my camera away as it was just too wet. The photo of the river is on our return journey just to give an indication of what we had to cross. I wasn't actually dressed for forging a river but I guess it wouldn't matter what you were wearing as it was all going to get wet. There was a ute waiting on the other side of the river and the drivers had no problem wading across the river to us even though the water was above their waists. I was one of the first to wade in and as the water reached my knees I was swept up by one of Ni-Van drivers and carried across. I couldn't believe it. My Hero!!! He didn't have much trouble I have to admit as I'm pretty light. He then proceeded to help the French lady who was travelling with us. She was a lot heavier and he had to piggyback her across.

Mt Yasur

2011-07-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

During the trip our driver started receiving a lot of frantic phone calls. Apparently the river at the base of Mt Yasur had risen so much that a 4 wheel drive had turned on its side that morning. Of course we had no idea there was any river to cross at all until then. We were told we were going to have to cross the river by foot. We had no idea how deep it was and were starting to wonder what the hell we had got ourselves into. After a gut wrenching 2 hour drive we finally reached the Black Sands of Mt Yasur which I have to admit was absolutely spectacular. It looked just like a lunascape and the volcano kept booming. It had a real ominous feeling about the place. By the way the ute in the distance is the vehicle that had gone over in the river. They had managed to get it out somehow but it wasn't drivable.