Indigenous Culture - Vanuatu | Sunrise Beach Cabana

Heart for the Pacific islands ~

Indigenous Culture

After some 20+ years living in the Hawaiian Islands, we were drawn to this very special country, Vanuatu.

One of the first things that attracted our attention was the fascinating award (initially in 2006) of #1 Country on the Happy Planet Index, meaning that not only were the native people achieving happy and healthy lives, but the country overall is making a very small (or even negative) “environmental footprint” with the effects of human inhabitants. The indigenous Ni-Vanuatu people, traditionally living entirely from the gifts of Nature, are able to demonstrate to the world how it is possible for people to live rewarding lives while not taking more from the natural environment than we give back.

As many parts of the world are changing rapidly, and as the global consumption of resources expands, our minds and hearts look for ways to get back to the refreshing simplicities of Nature, and to preserve the beautiful, natural habitats that we love to visit and enjoy.

Sunrise Beach Cabanas

Eco-Resort

In your coming here, to this very

scenic and special part of the world,

we like to encourage our guests and

visitors to relax, enjoy and to breathe in the beauty and tropical gifts of nature all around, and to think about going out with some native, local tour guides, to experience and learn from them yourselves.

Besides amazing scenic destinations (blue holes, waterfalls, stunning beaches) where you can explore, bask and play, there are several Traditional Kastom (custom) Villages here on Espiritu Santo, whose Chiefs and people open their homes to give tours to visitors, and where they will show you many things about their traditional lifestyles and share their delicious natural foods, music, dancing, crafts and more with you.

LapLap Preparation (7)

village girls with hair wreaths

Oven Baking (3)

gathering fire wood

traditional cooking

Oven Baking (4)

Here at the Beach Resort ...

In moving to Vanuatu in 2008, we began making friends with some of the indigenous people, and learning more about the ways they accomplish many things we think of as important each day – yet without the use of the many tools or gadgets that have become customary in industrialized parts of the world.