28 Oct 2017

Experiencing Vanua Lava

DAY 8: VANUA LAVA

It was a quiet morning on the ship as we passed through the international border by sea from the Solomon Islands to Vanuatu and the local customs officials came on board. It was a time to reflect on our journey so far, organise our photos, catch up on conversations with fellow passengers, and for some, a well-earned sleep in.

In the afternoon we visited the village of Sola on Vanua Lava, and were once again greeted by a fierce warrior wanting to know our intentions. We were then led by the village chief to experience the different aspects of the village, from cooking demonstrations to weaving. Quenched by fresh coconut juice, we watched the coconut shell dance, and a mystical snake dance, where the men painted their bodies with charcoal and clay, with stripes depicting the serpent, while waving colourful sticks.

We then watched one of the most interesting dances we have seen so far – the unique water dance, where the women made loud drumming sounds by slapping the water with their hands. In crossing from the Solomon Islands to Vanuatu we have gone from betel nut and pidgin to kava and bislama, and some of us got our first taste of the mouth-numbing kava in the village.