Yakel Tribal Dance to Yasur

The Yakel people of Tanna Island in Vanuatu have lived on the slopes of Yasur volcano for centuries. The islands of Vanuatu have been inhabited since... more

by Heidi Fickinger

Title

Yakel Tribal Dance to Yasur

Artist

Heidi Fickinger

Medium

Photograph - Photographic Print

Description

The Yakel people of Tanna Island in Vanuatu have lived on the slopes of Yasur volcano for centuries. The islands of Vanuatu have been inhabited since 500 BCE, and the region was part of the Tongan Empire into the 14th century. The indigenous population, called ni-Vanuatu, is overwhelmingly Melanesian, though some of the outlying islands have Polynesian populations. Multiple western countries claimed Vanuatu as their own and at one time administered the Islands, including, France, the UK and the United States. As such, English and French are spoken widely throughout the Island nation, as well as Bislam, which is considered a Melanasian pidgin. All three languages are recognized as the official languages of the country. The country gained independence from the various countries who tired to colonize it on July 30th, 1980.
The day-to-day life of the Yakel people has remained mostly unchanged even into the 21st century, with the exception of those who work in the tourism business, giving tours to visitors. If you visit the Yasur volcano, before any group can climb to the rim of the volcano, a traditional dance is perfomed to determine if Yasur, who is a deity to the Yakel people, will allow the tour to go up. This photograph illustrates the tradtional clothing of the people.
While this ceremony is certainly staged for the benefit of tourists, as with hula in Hawai'i and other Pacific Islands, the significance in the culture is still very strong and has a place in daily life.

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Uploaded

August 6th, 2020