Rachael: Port Vila Museum

Oct 16, 2000: Email Rachael to Family re: Port Vila Museum, Vanuatu

Dear family:

Here is a report I wrote on the museum in Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu. I hope you like it:

The museum in Port Vila has old artifacts from Vanuatu and other parts of the   South Pacific. It is a very cultural museum with carvings, sea shell, model South Pacific. It is a very cultural museum with carvings, sea shell, model boats, and money from all over the South Pacific.

A long time ago Captain James Cook stopped in what is now called Vanuatu and named it New Hebrides. The people of Vanuatu didn't like that name so they changed it to Vanuatu.

The John Frum religion is only believed on the island of Tanna. This religion believes that a man called John Frum (which comes from "John From America") is going to appear from the ocean and provide money, food, and education. The women of Vanuatu usually have to fish with mangrove roots, and men have to peel kava in order to drink it, but as soon as John Frum comes there will be no more work.

The Vanuatans carve tree fern roots. Their carvings always have a human face on one side and an animal on the other. These carvings cannot be taken to a but with a man who has attended more than one circumcision.

The most impressive artifact I saw was a giant outrigger canoe carved from wood. My favorite artifact was a model village. It was made from coconut palms and carvings.

The museum is open 40 1/2 hours a week.

  Love, 

  Rachael