Vanuatu Essay

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Located deep within the vast open waters of the South Pacific Ocean is a nation that is seemingly hidden to the rest of the world. The country of Vanuatu is a world within itself full of cultural diversities, geographical wonders and natural beauty that cannot compare to anywhere else in the world. The natives who inhabit the cluster of islands that make up the country of Vanuatu are proud of their heritage and have strong beliefs in their ways of life. With countless influences from other cultures, they have become their own breed of sorts. Their richness and cultural diversity is one of its main attraction to visitors, who can witness rituals and traditional ceremonies that are an integral part of modern life. Due to the natural boundaries, large open stretches of water, and the jungle and mountainous terrain, tourism is very low, leaving Vanuatu as one of the most untouched native areas remaining on Earth today. By taking a deeper look inside at what all it has to offer, Vanuatu is a county of the South Pacific rich in culture and local traditions that many may soon realize that they need to discover.
The Republic of Vanuatu was originally founded in 1606 by Portuguese Explorer, Pedro Fernandes de Quierós, as he worked for the Spanish Crown. It was over a century later when James Cook, a British navigator, visited the region in 1774 and named it New Hebrides. (Compare Infobase Ltd.) Over the next century, the French and the British continually tried to fight for control over the region. During the 19th century, Catholic and Protestant missionaries began visiting New Hebrides and the British continued to fight with the French over control of the islands. In 1906, a French-British Condominium was formed, which was a syst...

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...e island many times on medical mission trips. She shared many stories about the Vanuatu people and their way of life. They are a happy nation and are very welcoming to outside influences. They are a people who are eager to learn and are glad to have guidance and teaching in the areas of biblical studies, agriculture and many other areas of life. Until researching it myself for this project, I had no idea the depth of culture that I was about to dig into. It is my hope to be able to one day visit the island. I feel very strongly that they just need people to care and to get involved to help them to be self-sufficient. The Republic of Vanuatu is full of diverse culture that is lost to the rest of the world and it is my hope that through research and further development they can remain true to their customs but still be able to function adequately for themselves.

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