Saturday 2 July 2011

Black sand



I'm staying at the Tanna Lodge with 13 Ni-Vanuatu workers and Paul from Australia. We're here for 7 days. The beach is black. Volcanic sand smashed by thousands of years of wave action along the east coast of the island.

Strangely, to my ears, the main township, Lanakal on the map, is known locally as "Black Man Town". My friends explain that this is the claim the local indigenous Tanna tribes have made over the township, stating to all comers, that this township is not for sale.




We'll be working in "Black man Town" for the next week as the support workers to a five day Community Development workshop (Komuniti Aksen) being delivered by the Ni-Vanuatu facilitators to about 40 island leaders from across Tanna.

I'm white I say. That's okay says Christian, We'll help you change colour for the week.

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