There are 2 enterprising families in Port Resolution who have opened their doors as simple restaurants. It is a very local experience, sitting in the thatched hut on hand made benches and eating only what is caught or grown locally. We had arranged a lunch at Chez Lea with our pals on Maloo before visiting the volcano and had a real feast there, highly recommended. No plates, just simple bowls made from leaves of which more later from Isabella………… Lea, our host, promised to help the kids the next morning learn how to weave the lovely bowls and baskets that we used.

How to make a bowl by Isabella Manfredi

1 Take a large coconut leaf and cut 2 sections with 5 fronds on them.
2 Holding the sections at right angles, weave them together with over and under movements.
3 When you have used most of your leaves you will have a bowl shape, tie the 2 ends together in a knot.
4 Place a piece of banana leaf in the bowl and decorate the 2 knots with flowers.
5 Eat your lunch on the bowl.

The following morning at Lea’s is one I will remember for a very long time. We wandered up through the village to her house and the village was virtually devoid of people. Arriving at Lea’s she told us that it was a garden day and that everyone pulls together and works in the communal garden area, how lovely.
We sat on Lea’s step, drinking some of the lovely Tanna coffee while Lea demonstrated and helped the kids make their own bowls and a bag. We attracted a little curiosity amongst the younger members in the family and they shyly watched us but would not be drawn into conversation, just lots of lovely smiles. We must have been there for 2 hours witnessing the local life all around us in these beautiful surroundings, a most relaxing time and thank you to Lea for her patience, Isabella and luca were rightly proud of their woven goodies.