18 21 independence

At midnight on 30 July 1980, the French and British flags were lowered for the last time, amid tears and brave salutes, and the flag of the Republic of Vanuatu was raised to celebrate the birth of a new nation.

18 H I S T O R Y

HISTORY

Thirty-one years of independence

PICTURE: Courtesy Bob Makin.

Looking back on the day Vanuatu was given its freedom On 30 July 1980, the Vanuatu flag was raised for the first time and, with it, the hopes of a nation. Finally, after lifetimes of British and French rule of what was then known as the New Hebrides, the traditional inhabitants of the islands would be free.

According to the Vanuatu Tourism Office, land, from the perspective of native New Hebrideans, was not something that could be owned – and therefore it could not be sold. One might give away or sell the use of land but not the land itself.

By the mid 1960s, European settlers had claimed ownership of almost 30 percent of the county’s land mass.

They had, for the most part, cleared land to grow coconuts, copra having been the mainstay of the economy for some time. But as the price of copra fell, they began to look at alternatives.

With the idea of expanding into cattle production, planters began clearing

jungle adjoining their properties. This led to immediate protests in Santo and Malekula from local villagers who objected strongly to yet more of their ‘custom’ land being pilfered.

The objections grew and the natural resentment that started at the end of WWII sparked the formation of political parties, including French-backed ones such as the supposedly customoriented Nagriamel movement. Led by the colourful, charismatic Jimmy Stevens, it claimed to protect the Melanesian claim to traditional lands.

At the same time, in 1971 when Stevens petitioned the UN for early independence of the archipelago, the Anglican Minister Father Walter Lini formed the Anglophone-backed Vanua’aku Party.

As the country became more politicised, the (minority) Anglicans joined the Vanua’aku Party, but the (majority) French fragmented. Many HISTORY

19

20 H I S T O R Y

PICTURE: Vanuatu Cultural Centre

mixed-race and educated Melanesian Francophones considered themselves more French than Melanesian and were adamantly opposed to the British aim of early Independence.

Some wanted the Condominium to remain, while others simply wanted the British out and for France to annex the country entirely. This division among Francophones and the added confusion of Jimmy Stevens’s push for Santo autonomy (with Malekula and Tanna making similar overtures) was the stage on which the first general election was set.

In November 1979, Father Walter Lini’s Vanua’aku Party emerged the clear winner but this did not mean everyone agreed. It should be remembered the archipelago is comprised of over 80 islands and some 113 languages, making it one of the most culturally diverse countries on earth. With virtually no preparation for Independence under the British/ French rule, Father Walter Lini was not going to have an easy time of it.

A rebellion on the island of Santo, threats from Tanna and what is now described as ‘the Coconut War’ could not stop the young leader from giving Vanuatu back to the people.

At midnight on 30 July 1980, the French and British flags were lowered for the last time, amid tears and brave salutes, and the flag of the Republic of Vanuatu was raised to celebrate the birth of a new nation.

Today Vanuatu is a peaceful country where different cultures are respected and embraced.

Many ni-Vanuatu are too young to remember the ‘time before’. For others, it seems like yesterday.

HISTORY

21