Vanuatu

Since 30 July, 1980 Vanuatu has been independent from France and the United Kingdom, and so today we’re celebrating ni-Vanuatu Independence Day. Vanuatu—on of the island nations of the South Pacific. It’s an archipelago north-east of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, south of the Solomons. Check your map. You will be tested. When my parents visited the country a few years ago, they brought me back ni-Vanuatu black pepper. (I'm a pepper fan.)

So the islands have been inhabited for a few thousand years—the early settlers were Melanesians, like in the other islands of this region. Europeans began to explore the area in the early 17th century—in 1606 the Spanish found the islands, and initially thought they were part of that Terra Australis it took them all so long to bump into. Speaking of Terra Australis, it was only after Captain Cook visited Vanuatu (naming them the New Hebrides) that Europeans began to settled in the islands. In the late 19th century France became involved when the islands came under administration of a joint French-British naval commission. (Didn’t think the French and British did anything jointly? Guess you were wrong.)

Back to the horrors of the colonial mindset: in the late 19th century the indigenous population were subject to blackbirding—that is, they were taken away from their home and taken to Australia as indentured workers. Mostly sugar plantations. I hadn’t ever heard of this before, and I’m pretty appalled. I’m glad at least to have my own ignorance exposed. I’m going to read up more on the practice of blackbirding. I’m sure it will come up again.

Oh, and when you’re wandering around those South Pacific areas of the museum, really stop and take a look. The cultural artefacts are fascinating, and often quite beautiful.

Today’s poem comes from Nuanua: Pacific Writing in English Since 1980 and was written by the poet Sampson Ngwele.


Island Chant
(After a poster, Beaux-Arts, May 1968)

The men in power had their way
So did Martin Luther King
The men in power had their say
So did Steven Biko
The men in power had their guns
So did Che Guevara

So let’s go now:
Let’s go for their universities
Let’s go for their offies
Let’s go for their guns

Irian Jaya! New Caledonia!

Let’s go for their towers
Let’s go for their palaces
Let’s go for their thrones

Hawaii! Tahiti! American Somoa!

Let’s go for their strongholds
Let’s go for their fortresses
Let’s go for their gates

Polynesia! Micronesia! Melanesia!

Let’s go with their guns
Let’s go to their offices
And ask why they are here.

—Sampson Ngwele
from Nuanua: Pacific Writing in English Since 1980