This article presents an overview of theculture ofVanuatu.
Vanuatu culture retains a strong diversity through local regional variations and through foreign influence. Vanuatu may be divided into three major cultural regions. In the north,wealth is established by how much one can give away, through a system ofgrade-taking.Pigs, particularly those with roundedtusks, are considered a symbol of wealth throughout Vanuatu. In the center, more traditional Melanesian cultural systems dominate. In the south, a system involving grants of title with associated privileges has developed.[1]
Young men undergo various coming-of-age ceremonies and rituals to initiate them into manhood, usually includingcircumcision.
Traditional music (known inBislama askastom singsing orkastom tanis) is still thriving in the rural areas of Vanuatu.[2] Musical instruments consist mostly ofidiophones: drums of various shape and size,rattles, among others. In various regions,aerophones, such aswhistles orbamboo flutes, used to be played;[2]membranophones andchordophones were also found in some areas, but have fallen into disuse in recent generations.[2]
The largeslit gongs which symbolize Vanuatu belong to these instruments; they were most often used as musical drums to accompany certain dances, but also sometimes – though seldom – as a ritual means of communication; although widespread throughout Vanuatu, they are used vertically only in central areas of the archipelago (mainly onAmbrym).[2]Traditional music is actually a very general cover term encompassing a wide and complex variety of musical genres known by every local community – in a way similar to the vague termclassical music ofWestern societies.[citation needed]
Another musical genre that has become widely popular afterWorld War II in all areas of Vanuatu, is known asstring band music.[2] It combinesguitars,ukulele,bush bass and popular songs.
More recently themusic of Vanuatu, as an industry, grew rapidly in the 1990s and several bands have forged a distinctive ni-Vanuatu identity.[3] Popular genres of modern commercial music, which are currently being played in town includezouk music andreggaeton. Reggaeton, a variation ofhip-hop rapped in Spanish, played alongside its own distinctive beat, is especially played in the local nightclubs of Vanuatu with mostly an audience of Westerners and tourists. Popular genres of modern commercial music, which are currently being played in town includezouk music andreggaeton.
There are few prominent ni-Vanuatu authors.Women's rights activistGrace Mera Molisa, who died in 2002, achieved international notability as a very descriptive poet.[citation needed]
Sand drawing from Vanuatu is an art form recognised byUNESCO as aMasterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
One of the most important contemporary artists of Vanuatu is Aloi Pilioko who created the impressive colourful relief on the post office in Port Vila.[4] Another remarkable wall painting can be seen on the administration building opposite the market hall in Port Vila.
Cricket is a very popular sport in Vanuatu. There are 8,000 registered cricketers.[5]Sport varies depending on the gender of those involved.Volleyball is considered a girls' sport, while males playsoccer andrugby union.
There are three official languages:English,French, andBislama. Bislama is apidgin language, and now acreole in urban areas, which essentially combines a typically Melanesian grammar with a mostly English vocabulary. It is the only language that can be understood and spoken by the majority of Vanuatu's population as asecond language. In addition 113 indigenouslanguages are still actively spoken in Vanuatu.[1]
The density of languages per capita is the highest of any nation in the world, with an average of 2,000 speakers per language. All of these vernacular languages belong to theOceanic branch of theAustronesian family.[citation needed]
Before Christianity, the indigenous religion of Vanuatu was inherited fromOceanian andMelanesian traditions.[6] Missionaries often called this pre-Christian religion “pagan” or “heathen” in English, and as “times of darkness” inthe country's local languages,[7][8]: 207 or inBislama (taem blong tudak).[9]: 86 [10]: 140
The traditional religion, sometimes considered a form ofanimism, has been described by various authors, notably theAnglicanmissionary andanthropologistRobert Codrington in his famous 1891 monographThe Melanesians: Studies in Their Anthropology and Folk-lore (1891).[11] He was followed by other scholars, including anthropologists[12][13]and linguists.[8]
Concepts central to the traditional religion includemana,[14][15]tabu,[16] and the worship of ancestral spirits (tamate).[6][8][12][13] Named deities or mythological figures includedQat andQasavara in theBanks Is,Tagaro onAmbae,Lisepsep across the archipelago.[8]: 218–222
Grade-taking ceremonies, which existed throughout Vanuatu, were associated with the indigenous religion, and with the transmission ofmana.[citation needed]
Many aspects of the traditional religion have survived until today,in parallel with the adoption of Christianity, at least in some rural areas of Vanuatu.[9]: 86 [10]
Today,Christianity is the predominant religion in Vanuatu, consisting of several denominations. ThePresbyterian Church, adhered to by about one third of the population, is the largest of them.Roman Catholic andAnglican are other common denominations, each claiming about 15% of the population.
Others are theSeventh-day Adventist Church, theChurch of Christ,Neil Thomas Ministries (NTM), as well as many other religious sects and denominations.
Because of the modernities that the military inWorld War II brought with them when they came to the islands, severalcargo cults developed. Many died out, but theJohn Frum cult onTanna is still large, and has adherents in the parliament.
Also on Tanna is thePrince Philip Movement, which reveres the United Kingdom'sPrince Philip.[17] Villagers of theYaohnanen tribe believed in an ancient story about the pale-skinned son of a mountain spirit venturing across the seas to look for a powerful woman to marry. Prince Philip, having visited the island with his new wifeQueen Elizabeth, fit the description exactly and is therefore revered and even held as a god around the isle of Tanna. On the island ofAneityum, the ancient religion consisted in the worship ofNatmasses which were spirits represented in stones.[18]
Islam in Vanuatu is made up of about 200 converts and growing fast.[19] It was introduced by Hussein Nabanga who converted toIslam while training to be a Christian missionary.
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The cuisine of Vanuatu (aelan kakae) incorporatesfish, rootvegetables such astaro andyams,fruits, and vegetables.[20] Most island families grow food in their gardens, and food shortages are rare.[20]Papayas,pineapples,mangoes,plantains, andsweet potatoes are abundant through much of the year.[20]
Coconut milk andcoconut cream are used to flavor many dishes.[20] Most food is cooked using hot stones or through boiling and steaming; very little food is fried.[20]
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