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Tanna Adventures ....

A tropical travel experience of untouched scenic beauty & cultural insight.

Painted girl in Kastom Colours with Tanna adventures

GREAT 'TANNA ISLAND' TOURS .

INSPIRING 'TANNA' WALKS.

Tour 1 - The Classic Mount Yasur Trip.

Tour 2 - Port Resolution / Shark Bay Trip.

Tour 3 - Mt Yasur Volcano- "THE BIG DAY OUT"

Tour 4 - Blue Cave Trip.

Tour 5 - BlackManTown / Giant Banyan Trip.

Walk 1 - Second (Lenuingao) Waterfall & Beach Walk

Walk 2 - 'Kastom' Trails Walk to Esso's.

Walk 3 - 'Kastom' Trails Walk to Black Magic.

Walk 4 - First (Lenuanatuaiu) Waterfall Walk.

Home Page >> Tanna Adventures - Great Island Tours & Inspring Walks >> Walk 2 - 'Kastom' Walk to Esso's

..... NAKAMALS.

A 'Nakamal' in terms of village life is a place of meeting and is generally a 'mens' only area where all matters of significance are discussed, men of importance met by the village, presentations and a substantial number of ceremonies held. Generally, all villages have their own 'Nakamal', and the custom trails which dissect the countryside and define the bounties between villages is the first part of a village entered by visitors travelling the custom trails.

Namakals are generally always situated under a large tree, where the tree (usually a large Banyan or similar) has the side facing the flat ground cut away producing a “lean to" effect. The men from the village gather to talk about current issues affecting their village, whether they are political, social or land disputes. Often the chief will use this time to think, reflect or make judgment on village disputes. This method of reconciliation and mediation, especially if an issue has escalated into violence, has helped steer Vanuatu into being a very peaceful nation, when compared to its Melanesian neighbors.

Looking back on custom , a 'Nakamal' is is deeply traditional and still embedded within Tanna society, however throughout the rest of Vanuatu its function and interpretation has become more loosely applied. Today both in Vanuatu and overseas, the word 'Namakal' is tossed around a lot in the Kava Scene, but with little adherence or respect for its original function or purpose.

In Port Vila, there are a lot of “nakamals" or more correctly "kava bars" where people go to buy kava, and are really retail outlets in the same way that bars are to buying a drink ( alcohol). Such nakamals have nothing to do with custom and have sprung up in the main centers for purely social reasons, for both Ni-vanautu and increasingly local expatriates.

For more on Vanuatu Kastoms, take a look at our Watt Travel Blog which has extensive articles concerning traveling through Vanuatu.

An overview of Vanuatu gives insights of why the island nation is a unique tropical destination. For an overview of tanna island, have a look at our about Tanna Island.

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Travel Inspiring Walk 2 - 'Kastom' Walk to Esso's

[Updated May 2019]

Throw yourself into the amazing scenery and culture that is embodied in a unique 'Kastom' walk to Esso's place ........ Inspiring Walk Overview from Middlebush: • Very few travellers get to experience 'kastom' trails, as they are an old traditional social and transport network. in the more developed areas of vanuatu, Kastom trails have been replaced ( or more correctly, have been 'supplemented') by roadways which have been contructed more to do with land topography and directness from point A to point B, than village boundaries and land ownership. As everywhere in the world roadways are impersonal and all interaction follows a more western philosophy ( although less so on Tanna Island). Walking along 'Kastom' trails is different, and you can walk across the island using such trails without coming across any major sign of western influence. This is an experience in life on Tanna how it has always been. • 'Kastom' trials have their own protocol, in regard to entering villages, acceptance of food and general interaction. It is always advisable to go with a guide on a kastom trail to ensure that you do not offend anyone or unknowingly abuse a system which has provided amazing service to Melanesian society over many of years. • The Kastom Trails promoted by Tanna adventures are not a fabricated attraction to suit travellers, but the real deal. they are used by villages in their everyday life. • The 'Kastom' trial to Esso's Nima, begins by being dropped off at the roadside, along with you guide. From here you wind your way through tracks from village to village, passing stands of reed, wild fields of food such as banana paw paw, island cabbage, taro and sugar cane which are free for all travellers to use while on the trail. • After passing through a number of villages, the topography beomes more rugged and the trial more remote, bringing the traveller more deeply into a more ancient rainforest. A stretch occurs along a stream lined with moss and bracken, with large tree ferns overhead. Fresh water prawns can be seen in the stream. Depending on time, a travellers pass a waterfall entrenched deep in the bush. • At the end, a climb up medium hillside covered in bush brings the traveller up into the sunshine of Esso's Nima which is situated high up on a plateau overlooking the coast with Mount Yasur smoking in the background. Added Overview Travelling from the Whitegrass Coast : • If the tour is taken from any of the accommodation along the whitegrass coast, then approximately 1 hour can be added to the tour time (half an hour each way), for transport to the location and back to you accommodation on the whitegrass coast. 'Kastom' Walk to Esso's Travel Timeframe: • Approximate timeframe is 3.0-3.5 hours from start of walk to arriving at Esso's Nima. This depends on road and walking track conditions, as well as the weather and walking pace of participants on the tour.