Bislama, Biking and Blue Holes

Mi naoia toktok smal bislama nomo. Mi glad tumas! 
After a series of language and culture classes this week, I am now able to speak/understand a basic level of Bislama which will provide a good basis for our work in upcoming weeks/months.

  

Bislama is the national language of Vanuatu. The language is an English based pidgin language which is spoken throughout the country as the only common tongue. (There are more than one hundred distinct and separate languages throughout the islands)
As a consequence of the co governance of the country prior to 1980, English or French are spoken, taught and understood by many ni-Vanuatu depending on the location, however Bislama is more common in rural areas.

The language originated early in the 1800’s as jargon following European expansion into whaling and timber industry in the area, and later in the 1800’s through workers from Vanuatu being used for the development of the sugar cane industry in Queensland (Australians called this practice ‘blackbirding’ - the rest of us would call it slavery!)

Weekends have been spent enjoying Santo and have included a day trip to (and bike ride around), Aore island,

Snorkelling at Million Dollar Point (where the Americans dumped all of their stuff in the sea after WWII)











A mountainbike trip inland from Luganville with a energetic bunch of immigrant Auzis (and an Irishman) and a trip to the Nanda Blue Hole (one of several large freshwater springs on the island.

 

Have also been introduced to Vanuatu kava at a local nakamal (kava bar/meeting place)

Travelling over to our base on Malekula Island later today – lukim yu!