Vanuatu National Museum

Decided to go to the National Museum today! Took the bus there again, worked seamlessly haha.

There was a cute little market set up in front of it, as a temporary market cause the main one used to happen where the downtown is closed off now. Didn’t buy anything but perused around.

The actual museum was nothing to write home about, as lots of it was still broken from the earthquake. But because I asked about a student price, and there was none, the museum guide offered to do a demonstration after for me for free.

It was super cool! He did a demonstration of traditional sand drawing, which goes with stories, and played a song on the pan flute that goes along with it. He also sang a mourning song, and explained how in Ni-Vanuatu tradition, they have 1000 days of mourning! He then asked if I had time for one more story, and drew another sand drawing about the origin of kava root and coconut, one is male and one is female in the tradition. He played what he called a “rat song” on a long flute, as apparently humans tried kava after seeing it have an effect on the rats who ate it. He then played and sang the Ni-Vanuatu national anthem on a super cool bamboo instrument! A really neat experience all around

After the museum visit, I had a stroll around town and explored more of the city, before getting another free SIM, checking out another market, and catching a bus home.

https://strava.app.link/1CnY5cRB1RbRead more