Description

Tour Features:

Kastom Trails on Tanna Island.

Disputes between neighbouring tribes have been an integral part of Ni-Vanuatu life in the distant past, and led to serious dislocation of inter-tribal interactions affected trading, island wide-ceremonies, and marriage arrangements. However, an innovative system of kastom trails was mediated by the island’s high chiefs that reducing the occurrence of disputes, laying down safe ground, and bring in protocol.

Kastom trails delineate tribal boundaries, are accepted as neutral territory, and pass close to significant tribal villages so that each tribe knows who is traversing across their land. While Tannese used strict etiquette at each village, this has lessened in recent years.

The Middlebush Kastom Trail.

The importance and development of Kastom Trails is a fairly unique feature of Tanna Island. As with most transport routes, a system of major routes cross longitudinally over the island and include most of the coast, while a network of interweaving minor trails extend out over most of the island . The Middlebush trail is specifically chosen to provide visitors with a selection of countryside to experience, and passes through different sized villages. Along the way Tannese go about their normal lives, and visitors may come across villagers preparing a daily meal, getting ready for a special ceremony, or they may all be at work in their subsistence gardens. The walk aims to present the routine of Melanesian life in an authentic manner.

It is to be noted that the walk does not start on a Kastom Trail but traverses down a short steep slope, which most find fun to do, followed by a walk upstream through a spring-fed stream until connecting onto the trail itself.

If requested, the walk can be shortened and pickup can be made shortly after the breadmaking.

Black Magic.

The Black Magic show has been a popular activity for many years, and attendance is generally limited to a few visitors, making it a very personal experience. A series of encounters occur around a large banyan tree (spiritually revered by Ni-Vanuatu), which bring visitors closer to aspects aligned with Kastom beliefs of the past. Contrary to its name, no black magic is involved (not being a characteristic of Tannese kastom), and most involve quirky or funfilled activities.

Because parts of the show depend on instant reaction and surprise, little can be described save that most visitors will come away with a smile on their face.

Tannese Bread-Making

Ni-Vanuatu have a diet that is traditionally based on starchy stables, and some introduced foods have been readily adopted and furnished with a truely Tannese identity. Bread has been widely embraced and bread-makers are highly respected in the community. The peculiar small concrete bread ovens dot the countryside and can be found all over. Unlike the light french baguettes, Tannese bread is configured as standard loafs, possessing a full flavour, and totally delicious. It is intriguing to see how the art of bread-making has been easily adapted.