Every April/May, this spectacular ceremony happens on Pentecost Island. It’s not a show for tourists but an important part of custom ceremony. Up to 30 ‘outsiders’ are permitted to watch the dives on the designated days. It is part of the annual yam festival and circumcised boys and men of all ages can take part. While it is a ‘manhood’ thing, there is no shame in not participating, or indeed pulling out at the last minute. Each jumper constructs his own diving platform and selects his own liana vines. Two friends accompany the diver to the platform and secure the vines around his ankles to a frenzy of singing and dancing below. When he’s ready to jump, he raises his hands and silence falls. He then throws some leaves to the wind, crosses his arms across his chest, says what could be his last words and dives. If the vines are too long, he risks injury or death hitting the ground.

If they are too short, he will reel back into the platform with the same result. Usually, he will hit the broken earth and ‘fertilise’ the soil, bringing on a healthy yam crop. The jumper’s male relatives release him and the watchers again break into singing and dancing. Legend says that the first jumper was a woman. She was trying to escape from her abusive husband, Tamalie, and climbed a banyan tree. He followed her and she leapt from the tree.

Tamalie was full of guilt and also leapt to his death, unaware that his wife had secured liana vines to her ankles. For some time, only women participated in the dive (every 5 years) until the male elders decided that they should dive to redress their shame (and Tamalie’s) and prove their courage. The women today chant and sing, some 20 metres from the tower, bare-breasted and wearing long skirts made from white hibiscus fibre.

Interestingly, the Vanuatu government of the day tried to sue AJ Hackett in New Zealand for stealing an idea and turning it into bungy jumping.

Amid the dimly lit, hushed atmosphere, with the melodic sounds of coughing and spitting in the background, people sit and ‘listen’ to their Kava. Yes, and you’d want to spit after a mouthful of kava. Nakamal means men’s house. A nakamal is similar in meaning to the ‘shed’ for Australian men. Nakamals are kava bars. Traditionally women are not allowed to drink kava, however, today it is common to see both expatriate and ni-Vanuatu women at the nakamal for the five o’clock shell. Kava is sold in 50vatu or 100 vatu shells the term shell coming from half a coconut shell that it’s served in. To drink kava, take your shell and drink it down in one go (try not to breathe). Then sit down and listen to your kava. It has a relaxing affect; it also makes your eyes sensitive to light hence why it is drunk in the evening and why the nakamals are dimly lit. As for the taste it’s like peppered muddy water only worse. If you don’t fancy a shell, nakamals are still worth a visit for their pleasant and peaceful environment. Ronnie’s Nakamal is once such spot popular with a lot of locals and expatriates. Wherever you see a light hanging from a tree, it means the adjacent house is selling kava. Unlike in Fiji, there is no ‘ceremony’ like hand clapping. You can take along a plastic bottle for take away if you’d like to savour the wonders of kava back at your resort, where no one can see you grimace.

A national competition was held for the music and words of the national anthem and it was won by Françoise Vincent. The words are:

Yumi, Yumi, yumi I glad long talem se
Yumi, yumi, yumi ol man blong Vanuatu


God i givem ples ia long yumi
Yumi glad tumas long hem
Yumi strong, yumi fri long hem
Yumi brata evriwan


Yumi, Yumi, yumi I glad long talem se
Yumi, yumi, yumi ol man blong Vanuatu


Plante fasin blong bifo i stap
Plante fasin blong tede
Be yumi i olsem wan nomo
Hemia fasin blong yumi


Yumi, Yumi, yumi I glad long talem se
Yumi, yumi, yumi ol man blong Vanuatu


Yumi save plante wok i stap
Long ol aelan blong yumi
God i helpem yumi evriwan
Hemi Papa blong yumi


Yumi, Yumi, yumi I glad long talem se
Yumi, yumi, yumi ol man blong Vanuatu

Basically translated…

We are happy to tell all the people of Vanuatu…

God gave us this land and we thank Him
He made us strong and free
We are all brothers…


We are happy to tell all the people of Vanuatu…

There were many ways before
There are many ways today
But we are all one
Despite our many ways


We are happy to tell all the people of Vanuatu…


We work hard on our many islands
God helps us in our work
He is Our Father…

The National Council of Chiefs is made up of custom chiefs and the function of the council is to discuss all matters relating to custom and tradition and to make recommendations to Parliament for the preservation and promotion of ni-Vanuatu culture and language. The Council may also be consulted on any question, particularly in relation to tradition and custom, in connection with any proposed law being considered by Parliament.

(see Flag)

It’s the teeny weeny office in the main street tucked between Pilioko and Cave du Gourmet. The National Tourism Office has everything you need to know about Vanuatu (that you can’t find here). It’s also the place to head to pick up a map so you can explore independently. They also have a web site at www.vanuatutourism.com and can be contacted by email.

The New Hebrides sounds romantic but was just the name given to Vanuatu while it was a condominium governed by the French and the British. It was a complicated affair bringing two of everything with it, one French the other British. Recently on a trip to Thailand I discovered you could still buy (illegal) passports for the New Hebrides although these days they’re not very useful.

The only daily newspaper is the Vanuatu Daily Post (Me Harem Se column for gossip on which locals are up who and who’s not paying the rent) and you can check it out online. There is a weekly newspaper called The Independent in 3 languages. Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and New Zealand papers and magazines are available from Stop Press, a day or two later depending on flights.

The top spots at the rime of writing are the Waterfront Bar & Grill, the Anchor Inn, Shooters, Voodoo Bar (was Yellow Submarine - next to El Gecko), Rumours Nightclub at Moorings Hotel (was Trader Vics) and Port Vila Pub may rage until late depending on who’s there.

This is the term for the indigenous people and it literally translates as ‘of Vanuatu. The abbreviation ‘ni-Van’ is not derogatory. Expatriates are entitled to apply for ni-Vanuatu citizenship after ten years residency.

Keep your dangly bits covered thanks. Let’s face it, few us actually look good with our stomach bared let alone anything else, that means you too men and we don’t care how new and cool you think your tattoo/nipple/belly ring is. Doing nudity in Vanuatu is not appropriate. Please, keep your clothes on, unless you can find you own secluded beach.