It was a couple of years ago now, but we met Chief Dani Rusa (at least that's what he said his name was, communication was not easy) at the Sunday morning market in Luganville, the major town
on the Vanuatu island of Espiritu Santo . A
wizened but still wiry and proud old man with a long white beard and twinkling
eyes, he told us he had walked two days to reach Luganville from his home
village that was deep in the mountains and had no road access.
Exclusive Bokissa Island is absolutely beautiful and offers daily
cruises to Malo Island for snorkelling with turtles,
swimming in blue holes and peaceful river inlets, kayaking and a barbecue
lunch.
Pentecost Island is famous for the land diving ritual – the
original bungy jump (held each April and May), but most tourists base
themselves on the main island
of Efate , in and around
the somnambulant capital of Port Vila.
Chantilly ’s On The Bay offers
modern rooms with all amenities within walking distance of downtown Port Vila. There’s
an on-site spa and good restaurant. Ideal for anyone who wants to be close to
the action. www.chantillysonthebay.com.
In
deference to the more sophisticated locals, he had wrapped a piece of pink cloth
around his lower extremities rather than the leaf he traditionally wears to
preserve his modesty.
Accompanied
by a younger assistant chief, whose name was not disclosed to us, he had made
the trek to the big smoke to resolve a dispute with another tribe, a
complicated affair involving a native plant being used to place a curse on the
local courthouse.
The
chief was confident the contretemps could be resolved the next day, after which
he planned to return to his mountain people, who were renowned for shooting at US
aircraft with wooden bows and arrows during World War II.
Speaking
bislama, the local pidgin language, through an interpreter, he told us that he
was no stranger to conflict. He smiled as he told us how he fought with notorious rebel leader Jimmy Stevens in the
Coconut Rebellion back in 1980.
It was a would-be coup that made worldwide headlines at the time. "I
was one of Stevens' main men," the chief proclaimed.
Stevens
is remembered as the leader of a ragtag band of leaf-wearing rebels who staged
a coup on Espiritu Santo before the New Hebrides, then jointly ruled by Britain and France ,
became the independent nation of Vanuatu .
The
leader of the Nagriamel movement, Stevens declared the independence of the “State
of Vemerana ” in
June 1980 and referred to himself as the prime minister.
After
the Republic of Vanuatu was granted independence in
July, Prime Minister Walter Lini deployed Papua New Guinean troops and the
revolt was crushed without serious bloodshed.
Stevens
died in 1994 but his followers, like Chief Rusa, still wear arm patches
signifying membership of the rebel organisation.
On
this day, however, Chief Rusa, also wearing a Boston Celtics beanie and a New York , New
York necklace, was more interested in shopping than
rebellion as the two mountain men perused the yams, pineapples and other fruits
and vegetables on offer in the simple market (below).
Life
here moves at a slower pace; there are a handful of places to stop in the Santo
capital of Luganville, with the hilltop Deco Stop Lodge a pleasant place for a
stay, or for lunch beside the pool.
Accessible
only by water are the Aore Resort and Bokissa Private Island Resort, both great for lovers of
water sports, particularly scuba diving.
Wherever
you go in Vanuatu ,
but most particularly on Santo, you’ll find links with World War II.
James
Michener was inspired to write Tales of
the South Pacific while he was stationed on Santo.
The
island is the home of the world's best dive wreck, the SS President Coolidge, a
cruise liner turned troop ship that was sunk by the US military’s own mines
with 5000 troops on board,. All but two survived.
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World War II wreckage |
She
lies intact on her side and is easily accessible, as is the USS Tucker, off Malo Island .
Just
down the road from the Coolidge is Million Dollar Point, where the Americans
dumped jeeps and other heavy equipment into the ocean at the end of the war. Our
guide also took us to the wreck of a World War II bomber slowly being overtaken
by the foliage.
Given
the sleepy state of Santo today, it is hard to believe that it was once the
second-largest US base in the Pacific after Hawaii and was home to over 40,000 troops at
any one time. Those
troops included Michener and future president John F. Kennedy, while Eleanor
Roosevelt visited in her role as ambassador for the Commander In Chief.
Today,
however, Vanuatu
is the land time forgot, which makes the 83 tropical islands that make up the nation ideal
for getting away from it all. Service can be slow, or haphazard, but you just
have to go with the flow.
On
Tanna, you’ll find the amazing Yasur volcano, a still fiery cauldron that angrily
hurls rocks and lava, and islanders who still live the traditional way, wearing
little more than grass skirts and penis sheaths.
It’s also home to the John
Frum Cargo Cult, devoted to US servicemen who visited in World War II, and
another tribe who, somewhat bizarrely given his disdain for anyone not wearing
a suit, believe that Prince Philip is their saviour.
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Room with a view at Breakas Resort |
Here
you’ll find duty free stores, a daily market and a handful of top-line
restaurants and resorts.
Breakas
Beach Resort and Villas offers lovely bungalows and villas and there’s a
very good on-site restaurant next to the main swimming pool. www.breakas.com.
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