Le 11/01/14, 7:48
168.14415733333-17.021207666667
Vanuatu
For the time, I will do a brief introduction to the place, here theVanuatu... For those who are not interested you can go directly to the next message !
I begin the trip with lot of expectation ... This is my first trip in Oceania. Vanuatu has always been a dream for me from the time I was doing my stamps collection...like the Fidji, Wallis and Futuna...we think about tribes lost on their small island far from all other civilization, practicing black magic, or cannibalism...or Tahitian women Dancing on the beach. Personally, I prefer met a Tahitian woman than a cannibal. I like the risk but anyway ...
The idea of the visit of Vanuatu came also by the list of the top world diving sites. The diving on the wreck SS Coolidge are part of the most interesting but this is for another message in the blog later.
For those who doesn't know Vanuatu, I give you a small idea via Wikipedia !
Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu (French: République de Vanuatu, Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some 1,750 kilometres (1,090 mi) east of northern Australia, 500 kilometres (310 mi) northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.
And for the history and its link with France, yes, yes with France ... : o
Settlers came looking for land on which to establish cotton plantations. When international cotton prices collapsed, planters switched to coffee, cocoa, bananas, and, most successfully, coconuts. Initially, British subjects from Australia made up the majority of settlers, but the establishment of the Caledonian Company of the New Hebrides in 1882 attracted more French subjects. By the start of the 20th century, the French outnumbered the British two to one.
The jumbling of French and British interests in the islands brought petitions for one or another of the two powers to annex the territory. In 1906, France and the United Kingdom agreed to administer the islands jointly. Called the British-French Condominium, it was a unique form of government. ( but they drive on the right side, we can not exaggerate too much
). The separate governmental systems came together only in a joint court. Melanesians were barred from acquiring the citizenship of either power.
In 1980, the new Hebrides became independents.
Still today, kids can go on either French or English school. But, In addition 113 indigenous languages are still actively spoken in Vanuatu. The density of languages, per capita, is the highest of any nation in the world with an average of only 2,000 speakers per language. All vernacular languages of Vanuatu (i.e., excluding Bislama) belong to the Oceanic branch of the Austronesian family. Only in The island of Tanna for example they have 20 languages and they still understand each other from what they say. At least, it is what they say !
.
I will visit mainly 3 islands : Tanna for its volcano, Espiritu Santo for its wreck SS Collidge for diving and Ambrym for its black magic, it's mysteries and its 2 volcanos.
For the time, I will do a brief introduction to the place, here theVanuatu... For those who are not interested you can go directly to the next message !
I begin the trip with lot of expectation ... This is my first trip in Oceania. Vanuatu has always been a dream for me from the time I was doing my stamps collection...like the Fidji, Wallis and Futuna...we think about tribes lost on their small island far from all other civilization, practicing black magic, or cannibalism...or Tahitian women Dancing on the beach. Personally, I prefer met a Tahitian woman than a cannibal. I like the risk but anyway ...
The idea of the visit of Vanuatu came also by the list of the top world diving sites. The diving on the wreck SS Coolidge are part of the most interesting but this is for another message in the blog later.
For those who doesn't know Vanuatu, I give you a small idea via Wikipedia !
Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu (French: République de Vanuatu, Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some 1,750 kilometres (1,090 mi) east of northern Australia, 500 kilometres (310 mi) northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.
And for the history and its link with France, yes, yes with France ... : o
Settlers came looking for land on which to establish cotton plantations. When international cotton prices collapsed, planters switched to coffee, cocoa, bananas, and, most successfully, coconuts. Initially, British subjects from Australia made up the majority of settlers, but the establishment of the Caledonian Company of the New Hebrides in 1882 attracted more French subjects. By the start of the 20th century, the French outnumbered the British two to one.
The jumbling of French and British interests in the islands brought petitions for one or another of the two powers to annex the territory. In 1906, France and the United Kingdom agreed to administer the islands jointly. Called the British-French Condominium, it was a unique form of government. ( but they drive on the right side, we can not exaggerate too much
). The separate governmental systems came together only in a joint court. Melanesians were barred from acquiring the citizenship of either power.
In 1980, the new Hebrides became independents.
Still today, kids can go on either French or English school. But, In addition 113 indigenous languages are still actively spoken in Vanuatu. The density of languages, per capita, is the highest of any nation in the world with an average of only 2,000 speakers per language. All vernacular languages of Vanuatu (i.e., excluding Bislama) belong to the Oceanic branch of the Austronesian family. Only in The island of Tanna for example they have 20 languages and they still understand each other from what they say. At least, it is what they say !
.
I will visit mainly 3 islands : Tanna for its volcano, Espiritu Santo for its wreck SS Collidge for diving and Ambrym for its black magic, it's mysteries and its 2 volcanos.
