State of the World's Minorities and Indigenous Peoples 2016 - Vanuatu

Events of 2015

Vanuatu experienced significant political instability during 2015. In a series of landmark court cases, 14 MPs were jailed for corruption, including Deputy Prime Minister Moana Carcasses. This led to the dissolution of parliament, with the country holding a general election in January 2016. This upheaval was compounded in March 2015 by the impacts of Cyclone Pam, one of the worst natural disasters in the country's history, causing widespread destruction. The World Heritage site of Chief Roi Mata's Domain, an important seventeenth-century cultural site spread out over the islands of Efate, Lelepa and Artok, was also substantially damaged.

Fortunately the cyclone, which left 75,000 in need of emergency shelter and devastated Vanuatu's food crops, incurred a surprisingly low death toll – 24 fatalities – a situation largely attributed to the design of traditional huts, known as 'nakamals'. Lightweight, relatively flexible structures made of traditional materials such as bamboo, with low walls and roofs, they are able to withstand extreme weather better than other housing designs. Vanuatu was subsequently honoured in October on the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction for its use of traditional knowledge in developing resilient community housing. UNESCO also announced that it would be funding a project to support the continued vitality of Vanuatu's nakamal tradition by researching the tangible and intangible heritage involved in their construction, with the aim of producing a handbook of best practices to support the use of indigenous building design across the Pacific region. Nevertheless, by the end of the year the effects of Cyclone Pam were still visible, due in part to significant financial shortfalls, with only a fraction of the needed funds provided by international donors.

Another unique form of cultural heritage widely practised in Vanuatu's archipelago is sand drawing, which has also been recognized on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage. Besides its merits as a rich and striking art form, it is also an important medium of communication for the approximately 80 different language groups inhabiting Vanuatu. While these works are now popular as decoration and in tourist wares, their beauty reflects the complex myths and traditions represented within them – elements that could be threatened by increasing commercialization.