Experience Vanuatu – Visit Vanuatu’s First World Heritage Site” Chief Roi Mata’s Domain by Sumantri.

Experience Vanuatu – Visit Vanuatu’s First World Heritage Site” Chief Roi Mata’s Domain by Sumantri.
Port Vila~ 25th June 2009 Thursday, Roi Mata Cultural Tours picked me & my wife at 8.30 am at Iririki mainland jetty. Our tour guide of the day is Richard. He greeted us and briefed us on the program, together we were mixed with another 2 families from Australia. The’Roi Mata Cultural’ tours begin with a short visit to the Vanuatu National Museum and Cultural Centre in Port Vila. Richard gave us a short brief on the story of the Great Chief Roi Mata, the wonder of Chief Roi Mata history and legend remain a valuable and dedication to the communities of Vanuatu and it was delicately features its story and displayed some of the belongings of Chief Roi Mata. Chief Roi Mata is still revered throughout central Vanuatu for his exploits and particularly for his part in bring to an end of a long major wars that had raged throughout the region. He was known to be the great chief and with his special gift of powerful within him. There were some very interesting photos of Chief Roi Mata and other mass burial at Artok Island(hat Island). We free to wonder around the museum for few minutes and off we go to our tour destination of the great legend of Chief Roi Mata.
We took off from the museum to Northwest of Efate Island about 40 minutes drive from Port Vila downtown, all the way we enjoy a beautiful lush tropical landscape of Chief Mata’s Domain, some part of the road are now under construction, will be ready hopefully in a year to come. Once we reached the pick-up point of Chief Roi Mata’s Domain, we were amazed by the stunning, perfect beaches and a breathtaking harbor and a spectacular view of Lelapa Island and the Artok island known as “Hat Island” far and away. In July 2008, Chief Roi Mata’s Domain was formally registered as a World Heritage site. Until now, the pacific has not been well represented on UNESCO’s World heritage List but together with the early agricultural site of Kuku in Papua New Guinea, Chief Roi Mata’s Domain is now the first cultural World Heritage site from the independent Pacific Island States. From the pick-up point, with took 15 minutes a banana boat to Efate village of Mangaas, the place where 400 years ago Chief Roi Mata lived.
From a meter ahead, we could see that we reaching Mangaas. It was low tide, the coastline just beautiful! The water so blue and clear and we could see the stunning and amazing coral reef just underneath, Amazing experience. We had to walk on the carol reefs. Upon arrived, we were greeted by another guide Katheline later welcome us with a group of performers performing a great story of how Chief Roi Mata’s held the first great peace feasts, at which he introduced a system of totemic clans, binding people together through maternal links. After a short introduction of Chief Roi Mata’s, Katheline start the tour into Chief Roi Mata’s sanctuary and along the way, we came to a few stops, we were introduced to some of Chief Roi Mata great stone remained at the site, those stones were believed to have generated a great power to Chief Roi Mata’s to protect to himself and the communities from enemies. Katheline then brought us to the site where Chief Roi Mata used to live and a big bayan tree that believed to be Chief Roi Mata meeting place with his communities over 400 years ago. We were later introduced another magical stone that lied on the other side, the stone where Chief Roi Mata used to be seated and observed his people around him and people who come to him for advised on their daily fishing activities and production. As he always sits on the stone, the stone still believed contain Chief Roi Mata power till now. No one allowed get near to the stone even until today. Later some horror stories were told that this area was forbidden at night, everybody had to leave the site before dawn, no one allowed staying at the site. During the night, spooky mystery activity or paranormal activity witness by people who passes by this site from the sea. This is believed that the great Chief Roi Mata and his community spirits still very alive conquering their territory and performing their daily activities as if they were alive. Walked further down, we were introduced another wooden figure of male and female called the Tam-Tam. The days of Chief Roi Mata’s, Tam-Tams used to play as gong which would be heard from other island. It was made of Breadfruit tree. The real Tam-Tams were burned and destroyed when Christianity was introduced to the communities. But however, the Tam-Tams were reproduced in year 2000 exactly the same as to commemorate the lost of the original Tam-Tam centuries ago. Later then we finished our great tour of Chief Roi Mata’s .
From Mangaas, we took a short boat ride to another Island called the “Lelepan island”. Lelepan Island was the place where Chief Roi Mata drew his last breath inside the giant fels cave. Again, It was low tide, the coastline just as beautiful as Mangaas! The water in light blue crystal clear and we could see a bed of stunning coral reefs with small little colorful fishes just underneath, the feeling was just unbelievable!!. We again walk on the carol reefs. We were given a safety hat to be ware inside the cave. From the beach, took 10 minutes track up to Fels Cave. As we reached Fels Cave, I was so amazed with the white stone of the cave. The stone forming were a beauty. Katheline briefed us again on Chief Roi Mata’s story and the Do’s and Don’t inside the Cave. The wall of this giant cave are richly decorated in ancient engravings in black charcoal, there are many drawings and large figure of man, I believe means something from chicken, fish to a large figure of man. There was also one huge natural carved where draw like animal, katheline ask everyone what drawing is that, I quickly answer a face of the dog but my wife was say is a pig which is correct.
Is 12.30 pm now. Richard our tour leader reminds us that we will be staying here for about one and half hour for lunch break. Lunch served in Ni-Vanuatu local dish from lap lap, Melanesian chicken curry, banana, fruits, bread and much more. Everyone enjoying a fantastic food then.
After great lunch the journey continue to Artok (Hat Island) by banana boat, string perfect beach, spectacular view, clear water where you see coral just 5 cm from under the water is unbelievable paradise I experienced. When we reach the hat island Richard and Kateline continue the story of Chief Roi Mata in this hat island were burial more than 50 members of Chief Roi Mata’s family and court sacrificed them to accompany him into the afterlife.It was French archaeologist, Jose Garager to the gravesite which he evacuated in 1967. Artok/hat Island was declare taboo territory, a sanction that has been respected for many century.
Is 3.00 pm now The Chief Roi Mata Cultural is completed but the journey is not over, Richard brought us now to Manggaliliu village its need half an hour by banana boat another unbelievable experience, you can touch or walk on the top of beautiful coral when you reach jetty of Manggaliliu village. We rest here and enjoying the afternoon coffee. We back to Port Vila at 5 pm it was superb wonderful experience we had 5 thumbs scores for this tours.
About Chief Roi Mata?Chief Roi Mata lived 400 years ago in the northwest Efate village of Mangaas. His reputation extended throughout the Central Islands of Vanuatu, far beyond his own domain. He is remembered today as a great leader who settled a long period of warfare, setting up a tradition of peace feasts and new social structures linked by women.Chief Roi Mata drew his last breath in the colossal Fels Cave on Lelepa Island. His chiefly power was considered so great that the entire island of Artok (or ‘Hat Island’) was abandoned to make way for a mass burial. More than 50 members of Chief Roi Mata’s family and court sacrificed themselves to accompany him into the afterlife. Artok was then declared taboo, or forbidden territory, a sanction that has been respected for four centuries. Please contact Chief Roi Mata’s Cultural Tours Richard: +6785440695 or e-mail: roimata@vanuatuculture.org