History
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.
 
3,000 YEARS AGO...
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.
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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