Yumi toktok mean...
This was a first for me: creating crisis by not doing something. It was a reminder, however, of how complex and alien foreign cultures can be.
My impression of Vanuatu was that of peaceful islanders living in harmony with some minor political turmoil. That's not supported by history, however. Between 1910 and 1940 the islands were radically depopulated in a time referred to as the ""Great Terror"". Populations on some islands dropped by 90%. There were many culprits, including the introduction of guns, alcohol and disease. Many of the deaths, however, were attributed to ""kastom"". In particular, a black branch of kastom, sorcery. Homicidal sorcery.
Ambryn is widely regarded as a place of sorcery. Another wave of ""sorcery"" (or ""poison"" in Bislama) hit the island at the end of the twentieth century. People lived in fear, sleeping with guns, refusing to go out at night. A social analysis by Knut Rio attributes the reversion to old customs and fears as a consequence of ""loss of control"" due to a complex mixing of Western theologies, Capitalism and Colonialism and traditional island customs. (see http://www.vanuatu.usp.ac.fj/sol_adobe_documents/usp%20only/vanuatu/Rio.htm )
Whatever the reason, echoes of the conflict can be seen in the turmoil created by a hypothetical SeaRey landing on a sacred lake. The public debate can be seen on Facebook (search for ""Yumi toktok Stret"" and ""seaplane""). Here is the posting that started it:
Henry Vira with Joylyn Liz and 2 others.
February 8
There is unconfirmed reports of a sea plane recently making regular stops on Manaro Lakes on Ambae. As an Ambaen, I would appreciate any information confirming this extremely insulting activity and hope that it ceases immediately. Manaro area is sacred to people of Ambae.
348 Comments
Bob tried to clear up the misinformation and fears with this posting:
Bob Wyllie For everyone's info there are one and one half seaplanes in Vanuatu as I write this. Both are Searey LSA (Light Sport Aircraft) which are small 2 seater craft for private pleasure flying only. One is my half built kitset Searey in my farm workshop at Melektree plantation. Come and see it if you don't believe it. Call me first on 7722737.
The second Searey is on a super yacht called SuRi which is heading for Havannah Harbour due to deteriorating weather. There is also a Squirrel helicopter on board this yacht. There is a pilot for each on board. The yacht and the aircraft are for the personal pleasure of the owner as he can afford all these things. They are visitors to this country and they spend money in the main and the remote islands. There are two paid NiVan guides to assist them in their activities and so stay within cultural or sacred limits or whatever.
There are no CAAV rules about not landing on the waters of Vanuatu, however, if any one or group have issues with this then they should discuss it with CAAV. When on the water the seaplane must abide by any marine rules like speed restrictions etc. Often I drive my double cabin around Efate and often I give people a ride and often I buy something from a village market and so on. There are no restrictions on me doing this and I am kind of a tourist and have a small input of money into these villages. This is a private vehicle and on private business. Same for these small private seaplanes. I may give someone a ride or pull into a village and buy a coconut drink or whatever.
In the past there have been commercial charter/ taxi planes which are a totally different issue as they are a business and so require various licenses etc. There are NO commercial seaplanes operating in Vanuatu at the moment.
I have been flying commercially in Vanuatu since 1st August 1974 with Air Melanesia, VanAir and Air Vanuatu. I have flown regularly over Ambae with mainly local passengers and many who had never seen the lakes before and there were ""whoops"" of excitement and cameras and videos came out. Never once did anyone complain about sacred spirits or who owned the lake or we should pay someone to just look.
In most other countries private Seaplanes are welcomed and are a source of excitement. In my retirement I hope to visit many places in Vanuatu that a land plane cannot go to. If I find there are going to be hassles about this private flying then I will simply move to a more welcoming country. In partnership with the Vanuatu CAA I am opening up a new recreational aviation licensing system that is now world wide. Want to know more. Come and see me.
Lennox Vuti Bob you found a loop hole in the CAAV and you are now exploiting it - this is what is wrong. If the Chiefs had a NAMELE LEAF there you won't see it from the air. Please don't go again!
A namele leaf? Here is a description of the island custom associated with it:
""The tribal roots of Vanuatu, like many old societies still linger in terms of the power of the chiefs and the myriad of customary practices that have survived the introduction of western religion and law. Kastom generally refers to the code of behaviour at the village level to maintain order and respect.
Within Kastom there has always been a branch of ‘white’ (good, healing) sorcery and ‘black’ (evil, destructive) sorcery. A contemporary example of Kastom is the significance of the namele leaf, which incidentally is used by Vanuatu Red Cross as a secondary emblem.
Namele leaves, from the palm known as the Chief's Palm, pose a very real deterrent in the culture of Vanuatu. If two leaves are crossed over and placed at the door of any place of business, the staff will bluntly refuse to enter that property. The business has no choice but to cease to run, until such time as the problem is solved.
Namele leaves, which are seen on the Vanuatu flag as a sign of peace, along with the pig tusks, a symbol of wealth, are also used as a very strong emblem of taboo. If a senior person or family feels they have the right to the fruit of a particular tree, all they have to do is tie a namele leaf on the trunk. Anyone breaking the taboo is liable to a fine that will be reinforced by the chief of the village. The leaves are also used frequently to convey ‘no passage’ when crossed before a roadway or path.""
From: ""Formations of Fear and Anger in Vanuatu by Knut Rio"" http://www.vanuatu.usp.ac.fj/sol_adobe_documents/usp%20only/vanuatu/Rio.htm
Continuing the thread in summarized and edited form:
Paul Dalley Bob Wyllie you have contributed to Vanuatu so much that you shouldn't be put off by people intimidating you from flying . . .
Bob Wyllie Lennox... You have no idea what you are talking about. I have never been to your lakes ever. Over yes but never landed there. If you don't want planes to over fly then get CAAV to make a rule about it. A namele leaf is not an aviation rule and a pilot would not see it from the air anyway.
Lennox Vuti Bob - I am concerned by the post thus my contribution, you can do nothing about that. Whether or not I know something about it, is immaterial - Bob get it into your head, that our concern over taboos remains whether or not it is crafted into CAAV Rules a taboo is a taboo. Vanuatu is a young nation, not a nation like where you originated, and a time will come when this will be documented into CAAV - mark my words !!
Bob Wyllie Lennox.. You are 36 years into independence. If you are so concerned about taboos why have you not put it into CAAV rules before? Easy done. Now there will be a deluge of the same from the rest of Vanuatu and that will be the end of recreational flying before it even starts. If that is what you people want then my plane will be taken to a real recreational country along with me.
Lennox Vuti Bob do not threaten us - take your plane to a recreational country along with you as you suggests....full stop and no more arguments!
Ronan Harvey It's a sad state of affairs in Vanuatu
Bob Wyllie Ronan Harvey It's ok. We have the rest of the world.
David Orianne Mo Nigel Ma'an its so Cool..... smile emoticon
Ronan Harvey Dude 😎😎😎
Tchilumba Mera This is trepassing in broad daylight as if yumi sta ko mkm lo ples blo olgeta. Fusshh..
Ronan Harvey Another nail in the coffin
Ronan Harvey Do you people not understand that this culture is what's killing the nation ?? Those affected (in this case the seaplane owner) just go elsewhere and spend their hard earned cash ..... you know.... The cash we had to work for .... No one gave it to us !
Good luck no education no medical no anything !
Henry Vira Rangarea (good morning) Ronan Harvey from a very humid Port Vila, Vanuatu. Just wondering if you would be available to participate in discussions with Penama provincial authorities and community leaders around Ambae on Manaro and other potential tourist destinations within Penama province? I am sure it would be mutually beneficial.
Lennox Vuti Ronan - be sensitive to local views and respect them. We have often heard ""Those affected (in this case the seaplane owner) just go elsewhere and spend their hard earned cash ..... you know"" - always always heard this but never happens. GO ahead and do it!!! Don't say it, we are fed up with this attitude of being insensitive.
Joe Mala Ronan Harvey, getting the tourist to Ambae is ok, But you need formalize the venture with appropriate authorities on Ambae, such provincial government and maybe chiefs as well.
Bani Bainatugi Many of us Ni-Vans (in Vila) sit in the comfort of our 'luxury offices and talk without offering any tangible assistance to our communities. Better we be practical and visit our communities and see what their needs are; explore the resources we have on the ground, and plan out alternative strategies to develop our people with whatever resource we have. Should it means sacrifices then so be it. We can't go on depending on handouts. Let's not kill an idea. Rather let's build on it and strategize alternative ways forward.
Lennox Vuti So was it Bob Wylie, Ronan Harvey or Paul Dalye who flew there?Henry Vira grin emoticon
Hannaline Nalau Ilo smile emoticon
Espanior Kasiyo Ronan Harvey and Paul Dally, it is of cause a ""sad state of affairs"" because your hard earned cash has been earned from exploiting all your resources and now you want to exploit Ambeans resources. I totally 101% DISAGREE with Henry Vira's invitations to Paul Dally and Ronan Harvey to participate in discussions. ""Mutually Beneficial???"" That phrase is very destructive. Penama authorities and chiefs, be wise.Henry Vira smile emoticon
Lennox Vuti Get Penama to issue directive for new Gov to act upon.
Ronan Harvey F**k you I never exploited anyone I work hard and enjoy a good life. You lazy f**ks expect cash to fall in your arms ... Go to hell (you will) I know a guy up there
Ronan Harvey PS I'm in NZ not Vanuatu Lennox Vuti stop abusing our forum, off course ""swearing"" is your language, we cannot ask you to stop that, its part of you but stay where you choose and stay hidden!
Ozi Bihu I think Espanior Kasiyo is right.....
Espanior Kasiyo oh hoho Ronan Harvey, Temper!!!, temper!!! Did hit the nerve? If i did then I'm right, Right?? and oh you have no idea if im going to hell or heaven. But to give you a glue, id prefer heaven.
Espanior Kasiyo ""Mutually beneficial"" is a phrase destructive to families, relationships, customs, environment and resources. Its only beneficial in terms of money.
Henry Vira Really Espanior Kasiyo?? Please explain.
Espanior Kasiyo Henry Vira, i dont need to explain, there a lots of mutually beneficial bulshit in Vanuatu that ended up with Nivans loosing out. And if your invitations to Paul and Ronan to be present in discussions is without prior approval of the chiefs then it is somewhat an insult to them.
Paul Dalley The list of people to get permission to do tourist flights to the Amabe Lakes has now reached the following 18. Is anyone left out thank you?
Penama Province Establishment
Ambae Council of Chiefs
Area Council Secretaries
Ward Councils
Councilors
Ambae Members of Parliament (MPs),
Cultural Center
Northern High Chiefs
Southern High Chiefs
Western High Chiefs
Eastern High Chiefs
local families living nearby
the Provincial Government
the National Government
the Tourist Board
the Lands Department
the CAAV
VIPA
Paul Dalley People have been kind enough to provide a list of 18 people and authorities to obtain permission from. I have just asked if there is anyone missing or is this a final list that all can agree on thank you.
Please note in this thread in which I have been sworn at and abused some 8 times and suffered 3 death threats. This is thankfully much less than my other friends who have received much more threats and abuse for attempting to set up business here.
It would be nice if those good Ambae people who don't approve of swearing and threats can come froward thank you. Perhaps they could ask those using abusive language to speak politely and refrain from making threats of violence in the spirit of love and peace.
Paul Dalley Have had investor friends raped, investor friends beaten by mobs and hospitalized, investor friends resorts burnt down and investor friends businesses robbed and ransacked by mobs. These same people have helped the kind people of Vanuatu so much while young male thugs then attempt to intimidate them and when that fails resort to violence.
Tarrkandi Tarrkandi Abit of reverse psychology there Paul Dalley - in the Sacred Lake episode I thought YOU are the one bullying the natives for them to let you land your useless plane on their sacred lake. What a tool.
Julyan Willz Paul Daley and his mates as Joseph Brun, Daniel Vuti and so on they does not care about the voice of the Ambaen people to cease there games in this sacred area? Start from now they should be careful...
Thomas Bangalini Maresu Joseph Brun- God had created the Manaro as a catchment for his blessings. Sadly some of us are so subjective in their views because their emotions are carrying them away. Like you I would like us to be objective in exploring what God had wanted to bless us with the Manaro. In Rotorua, NZ, the Maori people obviously allowed for their sacred volcanic caldera to be touristic attraction. They obviously make lots of money out of this. Rather blatantly intimidating each other, let us sit back and try to envisage the possibilities and the opportunity costs involved if we decide to open it up.
Julyan Willz Joseph Brun What do you mean with your business plan at Manaro? Non sense, you strong head, you no respectem tabu area ia? Head blong you long money nomo mo yu no putum aside intigrety blong ol pipol blong aeland ia blong keepem place ia I tabu. Once envolvement blong tourist business I go antap ia mbae ol waet skin ia mo you too mbae yufala I createm wan white-man world antap ia mo respect blong place ia before taem yumi touch daon long lake yumi feelim wan tabu envirement this taem mbae I nimo gat.
Joseph Brun, yu stopem ideolgy mo plans blo you or mbae you reapem consequence blong hem.
Julyan Willz Thomas Bangalini, one of these days is on 15th June 1914 we lava blo Manaro i flow daon long full Ambae towards costa area. Everey pipol blo Ambae oli evacuate long time ia i go long ol nearest island olsem Maewo, Penticost, Malo and Santo. Yu yu savei history blong island ia or nogat?? Ol spirit i laef i stap, yufala i wandem mekm wanem long love blo money, yufla should respectem water blo Vui olsem wan Identity blong aeland ia. Sipsos yufla i wandem eruption i kirap olsem long 1914 then let it be, movum ol waet man mo woman kam stap swim nacked antap ia mbae yu just thingthing toktok blo mi olsem one descendant blong Tribes blong bigfala chief Liliu Lakua i kam long Chief Rukutarata mo come doan i kam long generation blo tedei long Lobinanugwe
Joseph Brun Julyan Willz, manaro should be owned by the full population of aoba not families as it sit on top of the island where everyone should share its blessings. And agreed that all chiefs, tribes, and communities should therefore come to an amicable agreement for the betterment of their childrens children. It will not be much of exploitation nor destruction to nature and its habitats, see for instance NZ, rororua in every inch of the area/city yolu have them exposed for tourism. But sure if you feel that you have to proof your point then by all means do so.
Julyan Willz Joseph Brun and Thomas Bangalini personally I do not force the bullshit of tourism industry. It is you and your colleagues?? Yes?????. My simple and clear oponion is to PRESERVE this sacred area by pressing a right to my descendant for the good of all Ambaen. And you you wandem destroyem INDENTY blong ol pipol blong Ambae blo guidem ol tourist waetman i go stap swim nacked long lake??? Speak up for the reality of many generations to come.
Paul Tagaro Claim whatever side of the lake, but keep out from the NORTH side of the lake. It is our ancestral route to paradise and we are going to keep it that way.
Paul Dalley People should respect the views and opinion of Julyan Willz. She writes of the ""bullshit of tourism industry."" This view that tourism is as she puts it ""bullshit"" for Vanuatu and should be stopped is by no means a minority view in Vanuatu. Resorts and restaurants have been burnt repeatedly, tourist attractions destroyed and investors raped and assaulted their relatives hospitalised and their properties destroyed in Tanna, Efate, Pentecost, and Santo. This is a manifestation of the will of the people. The other NiVanuatu have stood by and watched such violence and destruction occur and not intervened to stop it and so have give their approval. VTO should be truthful and advise potential investors that a large proportion of the Vanuatu people do not want tourism and will resort to the violent destruction of millions of vatu worth of property and physical violence to drive off investors.
Julyan Willz Thomas Bangalini We know the story, but there are some silly mentioned ""Great investors"" to create a whiteman-world at Manaro. That's where we come in to question.
Paul Lennis Brother there is a searay aircraft currently on a rich yaught at Santo this morning. the aircraft can land on water but control tower tells me they operated only at luganville and pekoa area. had cuationed them to not let this people land at Manaro Lake.
Henry Vira Thanks bro Paul Lennis for that info. I get the feeling Pekoa control tower knows more than they are willing to divulge. Thanks again bro for your help.
Paul Lennis I will make sure a bann is in place for landing at Manaro lake, that i can promise.
Henry Vira Thanks bro. I am sure that will be very helpful. Blessings to you and your team like emoticon
Karae Horo Carefull burn the plane with this fire ...Paul Lennis jekem gud radar blo u from hemi regular flight ever I Sunday to manaro how now control tower no save trackem down rooting blem stap fly hide please bannem mania we stap mkm businesses lo steal n sendem gobak
Anyway thanks Paul lennis lo information
Wacc Vanuatu Makem man we i stap ko long Manaro without permission pem wan big fala fine long ol People blong Ambae! NO KAT RESPECT! LETTEM SPIRIT BLONG OL BUBU DEAL WETEM HEM!
Paul Lennis There is no plane landing at Manaro lake period. our records which is of all flight take offs and landings which we charge air operators for show no records of any landings there so let the case rest!!!!
Paul Dalley Hi Kayleen Tavoa - thank you for your thoughts. The trouble is that in the 21st Century not everyone believes the same thing. My question was directly to Espanior Kasiyo for his writing """"nextseaplane that tries to land there again will crash and people will die."" Either there is a physical reason for a plane to crash or Espanior Kasiyois threatening to destroy an aircraft and kill people. Note that I have now seen tourist operators threatened in Tanna, Pentecost, Vila and Santo by those who say they will use violence and hurt and kill investors here. These people then form violent mobs and do what they threatened to do - including burning Churches and killing people. Tourism and whether some people from Ambae believe in superstition, some believe in God, some believe in Science is not the point. I have Ambae people telling me to ignore the superstition and help them with the medicine and economic help flights bring them. Mr Espanior Kasiyo said a plane would crash and people would die - in other countries he would be seriously investigated by the Police and Aviation authorities for posting such a statement - especially in the context of others saying 'stop the bastards' . . .
Wacc Vanuatu If wrong activities are happening Manaro will get angry and that is when Manaro signal back to the in-heritage that something is wrong. That is when village people suspect and on alert when Manaro gets angry throwing lava or smoke causing fear.
And on it goes.....maybe it would have been better if I had landed there just as the Santo tower suggested. At least that would have resolved the vengeful spirit possibility.
Sorry, Bob