L’Île des Pins

We looped back from Oro Bay via the southeast part of l’Île des Pins - through Vao, the only real village on the Island. Upon parking in an unoccupied dirt field next to a sort of market-like area, a lady approached us exclaiming how wonderful it was to see children visiting the island and that she had some gifts for them. She shared a bit about the village, the people, the language, the island - all the while preparing a couple of books and a map for the children. We found out later, as we read the Preface of one of the books, that it was indeed “her” village even - as we had just met the mayor of Vao, Sarah K!

Vao has a beautiful church, with a down-to-earth welcoming feeling and none of the imposing Roman Catholic grandeur that one would expect of a French religious place. We particularly appreciated the simplicity of the prayer hall, use of local building materials, and incorporation of secular handicraft works.

One of the more distinctive Kanak craftworks that can be seen around l’Île des Pins are the totems. A pair can often be found on either side of entranceways, or larger numbers placed facing outward in a circular pattern around monuments. We even came by a sculptor who was carving a pair for a client in Nouméa. He was using a very beautiful wood found on the island (rosewood?) that is naturally lighter on the outside, gradually getting darker in colour toward the heart of the tree.Read more