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Home Culture Gallery: Vanuatu ‘welcomes all’ to rebuilt traditional chiefs’ nakamal meeting house CultureDemocracyDisastersEditor's PicksGalleryIndigenousInnovationMultimediaPacific ReportNew CaledoniaPoliticsVanuatu Gallery: Vanuatu ‘welcomes all’ to rebuilt traditional chiefs’ nakamal meeting house By APR editor - March 7, 2025 212 0 Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter tweet !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); googletag.pubads().definePassback('/9201682/APAC_Article_Top', [[600, 60], [640, 100], [600, 100], [640, 60]]).display(); By Leah Lowonbu Vanuatu has celebrated the reconstruction of the national council of chiefs meeting house, called the Malvatumauri nakamal, destroyed by fire two years ago. Dozens of chiefs from across the country — and also Kanaky New Caledonia — joined the ceremony in the capital Port Vila on Wednesday, March 5, during the Chiefs Day national public holiday alongside the president, prime minister and general public. Traditional dances, kastom ceremonies, and speeches highlighted the building’s cultural significance, reinforcing its role as a place for conflict resolution, discussions on governance, and the preservation of oral traditions. After independence in 1980, the chiefs decided a symbol representing unity for all of Vanuatu’s peoples and customs be built in Port Vila. The nakamal was officially opened in 1990. Ahead of the ceremony, Prime Minister Jotham Napat emphasised all are welcome at the meeting house, in the heart of the capital. “Nakamal does not separate the people, nakamal has a place for everyone,” Napat said. googletag.pubads().definePassback('/9201682/APAC_InPage1', [300, 250]).display(); President of the Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs Paul Robert Ravun used the occasion to call for greater parliamentary consultation with customary leaders. ‘Right time to speak’ “For 44 years we have been silent, but now, in this moment, I believe it is the right time to speak,” Ravun said. “Any bill that is to be passed through Parliament must first pass through the father’s house, the father must agree and have the final say before it can proceed,” he said, referring to the council of chiefs. The nakamal took two years to rebuild using locally sourced materials, including natangura palm for the thatched roof and hardwood for the framework, after it was destroyed by fire in early 2023. Volunteers including chiefs, community members, and apprentices eager to learn ancestral building techniques all contributed to its construction and it survived December’s 7.3 magnitude earthquake intact. Vanuatu’s government and international donors France, Australia, New Zealand, and China provided financial and logistical support for its reconstruction, costing about 20 million vatu (US$160,000). Republished with permission from BenarNews. Images by the VBTC #td_uid_2_69b843ec7a851 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item1 { background: url(https://asiapacificreport.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vanuatu-1-1-80x60.png) 0 0 no-repeat; } #td_uid_2_69b843ec7a851 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item2 { background: url(https://asiapacificreport.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vanuatu-2-nakamal-1-80x60.jpeg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #td_uid_2_69b843ec7a851 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item3 { background: url(https://asiapacificreport.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vanuatu-3-nakamal-1-80x60.jpeg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #td_uid_2_69b843ec7a851 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item4 { background: url(https://asiapacificreport.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vanuatu-4-nakamal-1-80x60.jpeg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #td_uid_2_69b843ec7a851 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item5 { background: url(https://asiapacificreport.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vanuatu-5-nakamal-1-80x60.jpeg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #td_uid_2_69b843ec7a851 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item6 { background: url(https://asiapacificreport.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vanuatu-6-nikenike-1-80x60.jpeg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #td_uid_2_69b843ec7a851 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item7 { background: url(https://asiapacificreport.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vanuatu-7-dancing-1-80x60.jpeg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #td_uid_2_69b843ec7a851 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item8 { background: url(https://asiapacificreport.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vanuatu-8-Gureshaba-1-80x60.jpeg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #td_uid_2_69b843ec7a851 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item9 { background: url(https://asiapacificreport.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vanuatu-9-Gureshaba-2-1-80x60.jpeg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #td_uid_2_69b843ec7a851 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item10 { background: url(https://asiapacificreport.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vanuatu-10-correct-1-80x60.jpeg) 0 0 no-repeat; } The Malvatumauri nakamal 1 of 10 Nak 1: President of the Malvatumauri Council of Chief Paul Robert Ravun Merhimba DangDang at the reopening of the rebuilt nakamal. Image: VBTC Nak 2: The rebuilt national council of chief’s meeting house. Image: VBTC Nak 3: Everyone is welcome inside at new chiefs’ nakamal. Image: VBTC Nak 4: Inside the Malvatumauri nakamal ahead of its reopening. Image: VBTC Nak 5: Ready for the nakamal opening. Image: VCTC Nak 6: Head of State Nikenike Vurobaravu (left) and the president of the Malvatumauri Council of Chief, Ravun Merhimba DangDang, open the doors to the Nakamal. Image: VBTC Nak 7: A traditional dance from Tanna Island during the nakamal’s opening ceremony. Image: VBTC Nak 8: Chief Gureshaba La Roche Mare Nengone Sinewami Wakewi, president of the National Council of Chiefs in Kanaky New Caledonia (Inaat Ne Kanaky), attended the traditional ceremony in Port Vila. Image: VBTC Nak 9: Chief Gureshaba La Roche Mare Nengone Sinewami Wakewi, president of the National Council of Chiefs in New Caledonia (Inaat Ne Kanaky ), prepares to receive a traditional preparation of kava at the opening. Image: VBTC Nak 10: President of the Malvatumauri council of chiefs Ravun Merhimba DangDang (left), Minister of Finance Johnny Koanapo and President, Nikenike Vurobaravu (right) tour the new nakamal. Image: VBTC googletag.pubads().definePassback('/9201682/APAC_Article_Bottom', [[640, 100], [600, 100], [640, 60], [600, 60]]).display(); VIAAsia Pacific ReportSOURCEBenarNews TAGSMalvatumauriNakamalNational Council of Chiefs of VanuatuParliament SHARE Facebook Twitter tweet !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); APR editorhttp://asiapacificreport.nz/Duty editor of the Asia Pacific Report/Evening Report collaboration Feedback: Email the editor var block_td_uid_3_69b843ec7e3dd = new tdBlock(); block_td_uid_3_69b843ec7e3dd.id = "td_uid_3_69b843ec7e3dd"; block_td_uid_3_69b843ec7e3dd.atts = '{"limit":3,"ajax_pagination":"next_prev","live_filter":"cur_post_same_categories","td_ajax_filter_type":"td_custom_related","class":"td_block_id_2539622361 td_uid_3_69b843ec7e3dd_rand","td_column_number":3,"live_filter_cur_post_id":111730,"live_filter_cur_post_author":"6"}'; block_td_uid_3_69b843ec7e3dd.td_column_number = "3"; block_td_uid_3_69b843ec7e3dd.block_type = "td_block_related_posts"; block_td_uid_3_69b843ec7e3dd.post_count = "3"; block_td_uid_3_69b843ec7e3dd.found_posts = "9262"; block_td_uid_3_69b843ec7e3dd.header_color = ""; block_td_uid_3_69b843ec7e3dd.ajax_pagination_infinite_stop = ""; block_td_uid_3_69b843ec7e3dd.max_num_pages = "3088"; tdBlocksArray.push(block_td_uid_3_69b843ec7e3dd); RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR Analysis Chris Hedges: The world according to Gaza – it’s only the start Asia Report US, Fiji intervene for Israel in South Africa’s Gaza genocide case at ICJ Culture Vanuatu newspaper faces football coverage ban after ‘lesbianism’ headline NO COMMENTS googletag.pubads().definePassback('/9201682/APAC_prime_Sidebar', [[300, 250], [300, 600]]).display(); var block_td_uid_6_69b843ec98a1e = new tdBlock(); block_td_uid_6_69b843ec98a1e.id = "td_uid_6_69b843ec98a1e"; block_td_uid_6_69b843ec98a1e.atts = '{"custom_title":"CLIMATE AND COVID","custom_url":"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/category\/climate\/climate-covid-project\/","header_text_color":"#","header_color":"#","category_id":"4097","category_ids":"","tag_slug":"","autors_id":"","installed_post_types":"","sort":"","limit":"4","offset":"","td_ajax_filter_type":"","td_ajax_filter_ids":"","td_filter_default_txt":"All","td_ajax_preloading":"","ajax_pagination":"load_more","ajax_pagination_infinite_stop":"","class":"td_block_widget td_block_id_1061710822 td_uid_6_69b843ec98a1e_rand"}'; block_td_uid_6_69b843ec98a1e.td_column_number = "1"; block_td_uid_6_69b843ec98a1e.block_type = "td_block_15"; block_td_uid_6_69b843ec98a1e.post_count = "4"; block_td_uid_6_69b843ec98a1e.found_posts = "12"; block_td_uid_6_69b843ec98a1e.header_color = "#"; block_td_uid_6_69b843ec98a1e.ajax_pagination_infinite_stop = ""; block_td_uid_6_69b843ec98a1e.max_num_pages = "3"; tdBlocksArray.push(block_td_uid_6_69b843ec98a1e); CLIMATE AND COVID Climate COP29: Pacific climate advocates decry outcome as ‘a catastrophic failure’ Asia Report COP29: Carbon credit trading scheme criticised as ‘get out of jail... 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