Vete: The Emerging Movement on Efate, Vanuatu Politics and Indigenous Alternatives Dorah L.J. Wilson 1 Dedication To Vete Indigenous Historical Association leaders for whom I have so much respect and to whom I was privileged to call “father” [Papa, Popo Kiki]: Chief Fandanumata Richard David and Member of the Parliament [MP] and Vete President Abel David. Chief Fandanumata and MP David serve their communities, The Vete Indigenous Historical Association, and the people of Vanuatu. The roles they play in these levels of society illustrate how elements of the traditional and the western system work together. Chief Fandanumata and MP David have committed their lives to serving the people of Vanuatu by addressing issues affecting the lives of people in the villages, islands and the entire nation of Vanuatu. Thank you! Figure 1. L-R Chief Fandanumata Richard David and Abel David Member of the Parliament and the President of the Vete Indigenous Historical Association in Australia 2 Acknowledgements I would like to thank the staff of The University of Hawai’i Pacific Island Studies Program, for your support. I would like to thank my committee members Professor and Director of the Center for Pacific Island Studies and committee chair Dr. Terence-Wesley Smith, Dr. Tarcisius Kabutaulaka, and Professor of Anthropology Department Dr. Geoffrey White for their support and guidance. I also would like to thank Professor Edvard Hviding and the Research Council of Bergen University for the opportunity to study in the U.S. through the Norway Pacific Island scholarship program. I also would like to thank all of my informants for their time and the stories they shared with me during my research in Vanuatu: Pakoa Isikiel Ismael, Jimmy Taso, Chief Fandanumata David Richard, Chief Mormor, Deputy Police commissioner Auther Colton, MP Able David, MP Ralph Regenvanu, David Luders, Robert Jimmy, William Ganileo, Lloyd Hately, Chairman of the MNCC Chief Gratien Alguet, Morris Kaloran, Chief Moses Marakitatano Ham, Chief Shem Rarua Masoe Marakimanu, Chief Esly Pakoa Timataso Natamate, Token Pakoa, Lesline Malsungai, Trevor Hannam, The Vete Members [focus study] and other valuable members that I did not mention their names but who have contributed their stories and thoughts. Mi wantem talem bigfala tangio i go long yufala evri wan.Thank you! I would like to thank Papa Kiki Moses Marakitatano for tok storian -sharing stories with me and for providing me with information about the history of Tongoa, Shepherds and Efate Islands. Thank you Popo Kiki MP David, Papa Chief Fandanumata for your availability and willingness to provide answers to the questions, share the history and documents needed to complete this paper. I would also like to thank Papa Kiki Morris Kaloran for your time during the fieldtrip to see sites that were of significance to the stories and histories of the Vete members. 3 I would also like to acknowledge my family, especially my father Thompson Joel Lokin Wilson Masoirana and my mother, Rinnah Wilson Leitariliu, who have always supported me. They both have played significant roles in my life as well as during my research. My father helped arrange meetings with Vete members in order to conduct my interviews while my mother always ensured that I had the correct gifts and food to share with the people I interviewed. My sisters also supported me: for instance, while I was in Hawai’i my sister Helen T. Wilson provided me with information that I was unable to access while away from Vanuatu. She verified information with people back home and communicated the information back to me. I thank all of my families and community members! Thank my sisters and brother for their support; Merylin, Felina, Jenny, Helen and Brother Roger Lokin Wilson. I would also like to acknowledge my friends here in Hawai’i. To Ashley Vaughan, thank you for editing this thesis and other assignments and above all thank you for your support and your friendship. Thank you Mike, Trish, Naomi, and Ron for making me feel at home in your homes and circles of friends. To Annelin Eriksen and Knut Rio in Norway, thank you for reading the draft and providing constructive feedback. Your support is very much appreciated. Thank you! To all of my families, friends, informants and committee members -thank you tumas and Aloha! 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Title page………………………………………………………………………………….1 Dedication…………………………………………………………………………………2 Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………...3-4 Table of contents………………………………………………………………………...5-6 List of figures and appendix………………………………………………………….…..7 List of Abbreviation…………………………………………………………………..…...8 Chapter 1. .................................................................................................................... ...9-37 1.1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………..9-10 1.2 Purpose of study .......................................................................................... ..…10-16 1.3 Over view of the study sites .............................................................................. 16-22 1.4 Terms used …. .......................................................................................... ……22-24 1.5 The roles of the leaders ..................................................................................... 24-32 1.6 Methodology and Positionality ......................................................................... 32-37 Chapter 2 Land, Development and Social Movement ................................................. 38-68 2.1 The Value of Land ............................................................................................ 38-42 2.2 Independence and the Constitution ................................................................... 42-51 2.3 Land and Development ..................................................................................... 51-60 2.4 Social Movements ............................................................................................ 60-68 Chapter 3 The Emergence of The Vete Indigenous Historical Association………....69-166 3.1 Who, When and What is Vete?...........................................................................69-73 The Objectives of the Vete Association………………….………………………….73 The Vete Anthem and Flag………………………………………………………...73-75 Establishment –when and by whom?........................................................................75-79 Members and Leadership…………………………………………………………...79-85 Meetings and agenda………………………………………………………………..85-87 3.2 Why was Vete Association established? …………………………...……………87-89 5 Inter-Island Mobility…………………………………………………..….………..89-94 Restricted, Removed and Recruited……………………………………...……….94-102 Significance of the graves………………………………………………………..102-104 Vaturisu Council of Chiefs domination on Efate Land…………………………..104-105 Tongoa Takuare Freedom Fighters……………………………………………….105-108 The 1992 Compensation………………………………………………………….109-114 3.3 Forms of protest and the government’s reactions……………………………….114-118 Fittler Investment Limited…………………………………………………………118-129 Vanuatu Commodity Marketing Board-VCMB…………………………………..129-132 Blatenier Estate……………………………………………………………………132-137 3.4 The elements of the alternative system ………………………………………….137-138 Shepherd governing and leadership system………..………………………………138-144 Brief history of the man who sold Tagabe Area……………………………………144-145 Brief history of Timataso and Marakipulemata……………………………………145-147 Political arms of the Vete Association and internal disputes……………………….147-152 3.5 Other Activities under the Vete Association……………………………………….152-153 Sorovanga Community School…………………………………………….………..153-155 Vete Cooperative Savings and Loans Society limited………………………………156-157 Black Birding………………………………………………………………………..157-158 Vanuatu Australian Connection ….…………………………………………………159-163 West Papua Independence…………………………………………………………...163-166 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………. 166-170 References……………………………………………………………………………171-178 Appendix……………………………………………………………………………..179-200 6 List of Figures Figure Page 1. Chief Fandanumata Richard David and MP Abel David …………………………..2 2. Content of the Vete Association letter date 7th July 2006 . 12 3. List of some of the Vete Association Civil Court Cases . ……………...14 4. Map of the Pacific Island . ………………………………………….17 5. Map of Vanuatu Six provinces and Islands . ………………………….....19 6. Map of Efate and Offshore Islands and Shepherd Islands. ………………. ....20 7. The map of the Islands before and after the Kuwae eruption………………… ……21 8. Content of the Vete Association letter dated 9 July 2006 ………………………43-44 9. Vete Cooperative Logo [The Vete-Nest] . ………………………………..70 10. The Vete Association flag . ………………. …….….75 11. Chief Fandanumata and MP Abel Daivd at Australia National University…………82 12. Kuwae Submarine Cladera . ………………. ………94 13. Some Chiefs and leaders on Tongoa in 1800………………………………………..97 14. Grave yard of late John Rarua . …………………………………............105 15. Tongoa Taguare Freedom Fighters . ……………….108 16. Korman’s Visit to Ifira- re: 1992 compensation……………………………………116 17. MP Abel David’s message about Vete Member’s Action………………………….118 18. Vete members painting vacant houses-form of protest. ……………….. .119 19. First meeting with Korman and Ham Lini ............................ ………………. …...132 20. Chief Fandanumata Richard David intervene in the Police and VMF tension……..150 21. Picture of the first noticeboard: South Sea Islanders support………………….…..167 22. Vanuatu Australian Connection banner…………………………………………….170 23. Field trip with some chiefs and informants………………………………………179-200