Ancient
It’s believed that the first people to inhabit the islands of Vanuatu were the Lapita, who left remnants of their pottery at sites stretching from northern PNG to Samoa. It’s thought that they appeared in the South Pacific around the years 1000–1500 BC.
Villages popped up on different islands though people were separated by language and geographical features. There was also a strong belief in black magic, which was blamed when misfortune struck. Cannibalism was rife among the different tribes as it was believed that consuming an enemy would bring their strength to the victor.
Age of exploration
The 17th century saw explorers arriving in the South Pacific from Europe. In 1605 a Portuguese explorer employed by Spain arrived in Vanuatu during an attempt to find ‘terra australis’. He pulled into Santo Island and, in the belief that he had found modern-day Australia, named it Terra Australia del Espiritu Santo.
In the late 18th century James Cook mapped the islands of Vanuatu and named several of them including Tanna and Ambrym, names which are still used today. He named the entire island chain the New Hebrides.
Missionaries
The first missionaries arrived in Vanuatu in the 19th century but were met with a hostile reception, perhaps because of previous atrocities committed by traders. After several missionaries were eaten the church sent Polynesian missionaries in the hope they would be accepted, but they too were served up for tea.
This isn’t to say that cannibalism was rife throughout all of Vanuatu. A chief named Roi Mata ruled Central Vanuatu (Efate, Lelepa, Moso etc.) during the 17th century and he famously brought the different tribes together for a feast, espousing the benefits of living in harmony. He told people to bring different items to the feast – yam, coconut and more – and then split them into tribes based on the item. To this day people identify themselves through their mother’s tribe, whether it’s the coconut tribe, yam tribe, breadfruit tribe or whatever.
Despite this new-found peace in some parts of Vanuatu, other areas suffered from various epidemics as a result of interaction with traders and missionaries. Entire populations were wiped out as a result of measles, smallpox, pneumonia and more, and over the course of the 19th century it’s estimated that the population dropped from approximately one million to 100,000.
British and French influence
Settlers from Britain continued to arrive in Vanuatu through the 19th century and so did the French, who had laid claim to New Caledonia in 1853. By the end of the century much of Vanuatu’s farmland was owned by foreigners.
The British and the French continued to clash, with a 1906 agreement decreeing that the British and French would have equals right in Vanuatu while the locals would essentially have none. Everything was duplicated – police, schools, currencies – and laws and regulations differed depending on whether you subscribed to French or British rule.
Pacific War and the path to independence
WWII saw the Japanese advance through Pacific territories and the US sent soldiers to Vanuatu to construct military bases. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers ended up passing through the islands at some point and many locals were employed on the bases. Much of the American equipment was left in Vanuatu and the sunken planes and ships are now popular drawcards for divers.
Once the war had ended the slow journey towards independence began. The biggest issue for locals was the use of land by foreigners and several political movements sprung up in favour of independence. After various secession attempts and avoided conflicts with the British and French, independence was declared on 30 July 1980.
Modern
Vanuatu has had a rollercoaster ride since independence. The founding prime minister, Walter Lini, served until 1991 and after this everything became slightly chaotic. Bribery, corruption and mutinies dominated the political landscape, and these problems resurfaced in 2015.
Most recently, Vanuatu has seen huge investment from the Chinese into tourist and government infrastructure. This investment has sparked conversations about the power balance in the South Pacific as the Chinese naval strength continues to grow. For now, however, Vanuatu remains a popular tourist destination thanks to its stunning beaches, excellent diving and welcoming culture.
