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Vanuatu is the home to a rich Melanesian culture full of tradition, magic
and ritual, where more than 100 different dialects are spoken and each
tribal group has its own identity, customs and artwork.
It is a land of diversity, with French and
English influence from the colonial days, and a strong Christian heritage,
though some tribes still practice the ancient animistic religion.
Vanuatu is in the western South Pacific, north of
New Caledonia and west of Fiji. It is an archipelago of over 80 islands,
scattered over the ocean in a Y shape. There are twelve main islands, the
largest being Espiritu Santo. Formed over the last 22
million years, the islands range in topography from towering volcanic
cones to raised coral islands. There are wide beaches, reefs, rainforests
and deep natural harbours. Most islands are volcanic with fertile, narrow
volcanic plains, but some are coral in origin. Forest and woodland still
cover 75% of the land. There are frequent small earth tremors and nine
active volcanoes.
The Ni Vanuatu People
While 94% of Vanuatu's population is indigenous Melanesian, it is not one
culture, but many. This can be seen by the fact that over 115 different
dialects are spoken within the islands. Although there are similarities in
culture, each cultural grouping has its own features, traditions and
artwork.
The rest of the Vanuatu population comprises:
Europeans, reflecting the colonial heritage; Vietnamese from the days of
indentured labourers; Chinese and other Pacific Islanders.
Vanuatu's population is very young, with over 40%
of the 190,000 people younger than 15. Ni-Vanuatu have a relatively short
lifespan of 61 years.
Languages
Because of Vanuatu's dual colonial heritage, both English and French are
the official languages, along with Bislama , a pidgin language, based on
English, that is understood by almost everyone. There are also 115 local
languages.
Education
Education is expensive and often not physically accessible to childen,
particularly in rural areas. Only 61% of children reach class five level
at primary school and only 20% go on to high school.
Religion
While most of the population is Christian, a small percentage (8%) still
follow their indigenous beliefs, which are based on animism. The
Christians are mainly Presbyterian, Anglican and Catholic, though newer
religions are also gaining popularity.
Home & Garden
While homes in urban areas are made from cement, wood or tin, in villages
it is still not unusual to see homes as they have been built for thousands
of years from bamboo, with thatched rooves made from palm fronds.
Compounds are kept very neat and tidy. For
more general information
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