Off On A Lark!

I thought it might be good to give a bit of insight about life in Vanuatu. Guess it also applies to many of the other islands we’ve visited. Most of the island countries are small and scattered about. Not much in the way of economic opportunity that wouldn’t be disastrous to their environment.

The Ni-Van we connect with here are subsistence farmers who have family land that is passed down through the women. They can grow everything they need and have what we see as an excellent diet. Pigs and chickens are common and Vanuatu is famous for their beef. We haven’t seen many cows in the more remote areas. Unfortunately they’ve been introduced to white rice which too often becomes a staple because it’s cheap and quick to cook. In the more populated towns they also have access to a fair amount of western junk food that contributes to obesity, diabetes and garbage from the packaging. Cooking is done over the fire in large, heavy duty pots. The diet is pretty repetitious and root crops like Taro, Manioc, Wild Yams and Kumala (sweet potatoes) are used in most everything.

Most everyone here is very fit. They walk or paddle their dugout canoes everywhere. Many of the gardens are a mile or two from the village and often way up a steep hill. It’s an everyday activity and the whole family usually goes on Saturdays. You’ll see little kids toting bundles of firewood or bags of coconuts. Everyone carries a huge bushknife! Even the little one’s. Sunday is church and a big meal.

Many of the women have hand crank sewing machines and most of them need repairs. That keeps Brad occupied as soon as the word spreads. They can buy calico if they know someone going to a place with a shop or when the supply boat comes. Generally speaking their clothes are well worn, torn and really sad. Shoes are rare.

The government funds education through grade 6 and after that it costs about $750 a year to send a child to school. The primary or maybe only source of income is from copra. Collecting the coconuts from your trees, carrying them to where you’ve built a wood fired oven for drying, husking them, splitting and drying. Then you wait until the copra boat comes (who knows when that might be) and get paid the going rate per pound (which is trivial) for your efforts.

So, to summarize my thoughts on life here, they have great food, shelter, family, a great climate (except for occasional cyclones), beautiful mountains and surrounding ocean. What they’re lacking is access to education and medical care. They’re proud, happy, generous people and we’re happy to be here and be part of their families.