Tag: Melanesia
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What Stories Do Melanesian Canoes Carry Beyond the Horizon?
Melanesian canoes are powerful symbols of the region’s ocean heritage and community life. In Vanuatu (once called the New Hebrides), skilled craftsmen hollow out huge tree trunks to build single-hull outrigger canoes, often sailing across the water with bright red “butterfly” sails. Before a new canoe is used, villages hold special naming ceremonies and pig-sacrifice…
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Polynesia Vs. Melanesia: Deciphering the Differences
Lila Harron Battis The diverse islands that make up Polynesia and Melanesia each have their own secrets to discover and choosing the right voyage among the sea of options can feel a bit daunting. With help from Karen Kuest and Susan Salvin, our expedition developers for these two key regions of the South Pacific, we…