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The
archeological
remains found in
Vanuatu indicate
that human beings
have been living here
for a very long time
(some 3,000 years).
It would appear
that Melanesian
navigators from
Papua New Guinea
were the first to
colonise Vanuatu. |
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First
navigators from Papouasia
Crossings were long and dangerous, especially as the canoes
were also used to carry animals and plants (taro, manioc,
yam,
etc.). Other migrations followed and continued for quite
some time before the people settled down. Nowadays, all the
inhabited islands have their own languages and their own
customs and traditions.
First European explorators
The very first time the island group was discovered by
Europeans dates back to May 1606.
That European was Pedro Fernandez de Queiros, a Portuguese
(a mystic intent on preaching the Gospel) who, thinking he
had reached the austral continent, christened it "Terra
Australia del Espirito Santo" hence the name of Espiritu
Santo, which has remained ever since.
Relations with the natives were not particularly good and
once Queiros left, the islands were soon forgotten.
It was not until 160 years later that Louis Antoine de
Bougainville recognised the island and named it “The Great
Cyclades” (Les Grandes Cyclades) at the same time as he
christened Maewo, Pentecost, Malekula,
Malo and Ambae to which he laid claim.
James Cook and the New
Hebrides
Then on July 16th, 1774, another famous navigator discovered
the islands as well, on his second voyage through the
Pacific: James Cook, on board his ship HMS “Resolution”.
We have him to thank for the very first map of the island
group, and its name, the “New Hebrides”. However, he did not
stay long, only 46 days.
After that there was a succession of navigators who came and
went, such as La Perouse, d'Entrecasteaux, Bligh and Dumont
d'Urville. A few whalers also called in. But the first
settlement of Europeans really
dates back to 1825 when the Irishman Peter Dillon
established sandalwood trade with China. In spite of the
many clashes with the natives, this trade survived for
nearly 40 years. As sources of sandalwood dwindled, many
sandalwood traders turned to recruiting
labourers for the sugar cane fields of Fiji and Queensland,
which became known as “Blackbirding”.
A few Australian planters settled in the islands of Efate
and Epi for copra. Around the same time, other settlers came
over, from New Caledonia, such as John Higginson whose dream
was to see the New Hebrides annexed by France. Then came
James Burns and Rober Philp who joined forces to acquire
land in their names.
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