Post #596810 by Club Nouméa on Sun, Jul 10, 2011 12:23 AM

Part 4: Carvings

Water feature, Iririki Island Resort

As mentioned above, carvings are to be seen all over the place in Port Vila. Here are a couple that were at my hotel:

The National Museum in Port Vila is a good starting point, and has a small but interesting collection.

This is a fairly characteristic tamtam or slit drum from Ambrym Island. Traditionally, carving these ceremonial items was allowed only by carvers recognised by tribal custom authority. On Ambrym, drums with three or more heads denote specific chief and sub-chief rankings in society and are only carved with special permission from the chief or other tribal authorities concerned. In the 19th century, unauthorised carvers knocking these off on the side and selling them as trade goods were punished with death. Even today, I was told, carvers in Port Vila who try and sell 3-5-headed tamtams to tourists receive flying visits from Ambrymese chiefs who fine them on the spot for infringing custom law, although apparently no one is offended if they sell drums with only one or two heads.

Tree fern ("blakpam") grade carvings from Ambrym:

These were carved to celebrate Vanuatu's independence in 1980, and originally stood in Independence Park, according to the Bislama notes at their base.

Traditionally grade carvings were (and still are) placed outside individual men's huts to show their status within tribal society. Different markings denote different levels: a young man who has just reached manhood will have a grade carving that is much starker and unadorned than a chief's grade carving. This one, from North Ambrym, is for a man who has reached the level of "Maghenehiver", which is the 11th level in the grade system ("Maghe") used in that area:

Most carving in Vanuatu is done using either hardwoods or softwoods like fern; carvings from stone, like the one in the bottom of the image above, are much rarer.

On the island of Malekula, fernwood is also used to carve elaborate masks:

The smaller mask to the right is a funeral mask.

A good place to buy authentic tamtams and grade carvings in Port Vila is the Gallery blong Vanuatu/Café des Arts, on the Lini Highway:

These fellas are the real thing. The tamtams all work (I gave them a free test drive :) ), and stand about 2.4 metres tall:

Gallery blong Vanuatu/Café des Arts ship carvings overseas by arrangement. Contact http://www.gbvanuatu.com

I have visions of installing one of these beauties in my yard and letting rip with some tribal drumming from time to time. I never really did care that much for what the neighbours think of me...

In the next instalment, we head off to visit an authentic Ambrymese village...

CN