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Join Date 09/2004

The independance day of Vanuatu

some 25 years ago

For those of you who know it, I’m from Vanuatu and last week my country celebrated it’s 25th independence anniversary. Nothing to be proud of IMHO but that’s a topic for another day.

Here’s a little map that’ll help you figuring out where in the world I am.

It was a British and French Condominium from 1906 to 1978 and used to be known as the New Hebrides. On the 30th of July 1980, Vanuatu became an independent country.

The story is long and sad. I have a French (colonial) and a Ni-vanuatu heritage.

The colonialism must have been hard to accept for the indigenes. Imagine living peacefully with your own code of morals and ethics, your own beliefs, and your own customs and have it all put upside down by tall, pale, weird foreigners that wore uncomfortable, ridiculous and hot costumes. No wonder more than one ended up as a dish to a tribe…

Over the years they’ve brought new knowledge and new customs that made the local population richer in many ways but also confused. A new religion? A new police? A judge? A prison? Private property? A total new concept of life.

The colons had children. And their children had children. They loved the country as much as any indigene. So when the independence came, they didn’t understand why their properties were taken back.

My Dad for example has never gotten over it. His family owned acres of coconut plantations, cattle, horses, mills, machinery… He was a hardworker, made good money, treated his people right, gave them more than they could ever have today. It broke his heart that his own country took away everything he had, deported him and wanted him dead if he didn’t leave. He still tells me today: it wasn’t supposed to be independence, it should have been more autonomy from the condominium, that’s all.

Vanuatu celebrated their independence. But they’re not independent. Far from it. We rely on financial help from Australia, New Zealand, Europe, China and Japan. We’ve never been more dependant than we are today. The infrastructures are weak, the country doesn’t make enough money, the system is corrupted. We get help, but it’s not near enough to what we actually need.

I don’t know if people realize that. I don’t know if I’m right to feel the way I do. After all no one is dying of hunger. Yet.

I’ve imagined how my country had turned out had it never had been independent from two rival nations that did their best to invest in schools, roads, hospitals, bridges and the likes just to surpass one another.

But I shouldn’t cry over what’s gone, but only hope the best for what’s ahead.

Here’s to 25 more years Dear Vanuatu.

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congratulations.

they hadda lotta nerve turnin the indigenous peoples' home into a condominium. prolly charged a lotta association fees too.

gotta love good ol capn cook huh?

what do those yellow symbols represent (in your flag)?

do you know where niue is?

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I detect a love anger relationship between you and Vanuatu. That is actually good, for it means you can be a force for change. And it will be out of love for your country, and anger at the injustice. I hope you can help the situation. For you do sound worried as well.

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Happy Independence Day to Vanuatu! Do you guys make a big celebration out of it given the history? My birth country, Jamaica, will celebrate it's independence on August 6. That's usually a very big celebration and there's all types of activities and contests that goes on. We call it Festival! There's lots of music, dancing, art, very cultural stuff. And don't let me start about the food! One day I hope to go back to celebrate with my kids so they can experience it. The closest they've come to it is when we lived in NY and celebrated the West Indian Day Parade with all the other Caribbean islanders in NY! That's always loads of fun!

Change is always supposed to be for the better. Sometimes it works great sometimes it doesn't. It's really hard for some to understand and see the reasoning behind why change came about. It's usually up to the people to put it's best foot forward and grow and progress from what was. I understand your father's feelings and empathise.

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Thanks you guys for answering, especially this topic that it's so far from you!

Kingbee:

congratulations

On behalf of the people who want to be congratulated: Thanks.

gotta love good ol capn cook huh?

Actually the Portuguese (Queiros) discovered the northern islands of Vanuatu (Espiritu Santo) way before the British with Cook. The French and British started colonising in the late 1800s early 1900s.

what do those yellow symbols represent (in your flag)?

The roundish one is a pig tusk. Pig tusks are valuables in our custom, they are a symbol of power so normally only chiefs are entitled to have them. But the custom now is such that those tusks are sold to tourists and made into jewellery...
Anyway, the thing in the middle of the tusk is a namele leaf. It's a leaf from a sort of palm tree. A custom leaf again, if you hang it before a land, a beach or a house it means that it's either a "taboo place" (meaning there are sinister forces around at work) or it's a private property. Either way it says enter at your own risk.
Hope this helps

DrGuy:

I detect a love anger relationship between you and Vanuatu.

Funny that you'd say that because that's exactly what it is. The people and the place is awesome, but the politics ruin it all.

That is actually good, for it means you can be a force for change. And it will be out of love for your country, and anger at the injustice. I hope you can help the situation. For you do sound worried as well.

I am worried as hell. And the fact that i'm leaving breaks my heart. I dont know if i have the power to do anything yet. I want to see what the world offers else where and maybe i can bring it home some day. The situation is ok now, but i'm really scared of what it'll be like in 10 years. People are selling their beautiful lands for nothing and buy instead cars or trucks that'll only last them 3 or 4 years at best. They dont even realize their children's future will be in jeopardy... It's so sad.

Foreverserenity:
YES the celebrations, we had a full week celebration. Music, games, food, custom stories, etc, etc. Lots of people, lots of laughter but also lots of goddamn money down the drain if you ask me... But oh well, i suppose it was an event that needed to be celebrated and that the people of this country need such things to take their minds away from other worries.
I hope your kids get to see how it's done the Jamaican way! Sounds really cool!

Change is always supposed to be for the better. Sometimes it works great sometimes it doesn't. It's really hard for some to understand and see the reasoning behind why change came about. It's usually up to the people to put it's best foot forward and grow and progress from what was. I understand your father's feelings and empathise.

Thanks serenity

I hope change is indeed for the best, so far it has actually gotten worse, but i guess we're still only learning to be a country of our own.

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PS Kingbee, isnt Niue a polynesian country? I think it's in the Southern part of the Pacific Ocean. Not sure though, i'm probably confused with Palau?

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, isnt Niue a polynesian country?

i'm not sure. it seems to be east and south of american samoa (or at least that's the orientation ive used to locate it on maps. looking at the lil map you provided, i had a feeling you were fairly close to it (as compared to from here to there hahaha) i hate to admit it but i have regularly misplaced the connection with what used to be the new hebrides and vanuatu (also with ceylon and sri lanka).

i've seriously considered moving to niue (altho more seriously during the late 90s)...and i may eventually do so.

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People are selling their beautiful lands for nothing

If people are selling, someone must be buying. Are they citizens or congolmerations?

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Kingbee, you'd be moving to Niue? Wow! Sounds like i great adventure ahead! Good on you

So where are you now? And how come you're moving? Heh too many questions.
Oh and it's probably closer on the map, but from Vanuatu to go to fidji by airplane it takes at least three hours already, so to go to Niue i suppose we can count at least 5 hours. We never really hear about Niue here. It must be a very quiet country heh!

DrGuy:

If people are selling, someone must be buying. Are they citizens or congolmerations?

Nope, they're foreigners, mainly from Australia. They dont even live here. They just buy as an ivestment hoping for the market to sky rocket to sell everything then. So the people of Vanuatu are really left with nada, and they have yet to realize that.

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