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Kastom: The Living Heart of Vanuatu Society
Culture7 min read3/18/2026
Kastom — the Bislama word for custom — isn't just tradition for show. It shapes land rights, marriage, conflict resolution, and daily life across Vanuatu's 80-plus islands.
Latest Articles
News and culture from Vanuatu and the Pacific Islands
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July 30, 1980: When Vanuatu Became Free
History6 min read3/15/2026
Vanuatu's independence story is unusual even by Pacific standards — it involved two colonial powers, a coconut rebellion, and a French-backed separatist movement all at once.
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Pacific Islands on the Climate Front Line
Environment6 min read3/12/2026
For Vanuatu and neighboring Pacific nations, climate change isn't a future problem. Rising seas, intensifying cyclones, and saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies are happening right now.
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Bislama: How a Creole Became a Nation's Voice
Language5 min read3/10/2026
With 138 languages across 80 islands, Vanuatu needed a common tongue. Bislama — born from the Pacific labor trade — became that tongue, and then became something more.
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Kava in Vanuatu: More Than a Drink
Culture6 min read3/8/2026
Vanuatu grows some of the world's strongest kava and has been drinking it for centuries. Nakamals — kava bars — are where politics happens, conflicts get resolved, and the day ends.
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After Harold: Rebuilding Espiritu Santo
Disaster & Recovery6 min read3/5/2026
Cyclone Harold tore through Vanuatu's largest island in April 2020 during COVID border closures. The reconstruction story shows both community resilience and the limits of aid from afar.