Jacuzzi dream
We've stayed one relaxing night in Farino at the end of our 10 day roadtrip.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
New Caledonia // Lifou //
Loyalty Islands
The Loyalty Islands consist in three island communes located 190 km to the northeast of New Caledonia's mainland: Lifou, Maré and Ouvéa.
The people of the Loyalty Islands are of mixed Melanesian and Polynesian ancestry, with a small (!) European minority.
During 2 beautiful days, we have explored Lifou, the largest of the Loyalty Islands.
During 2 beautiful days, we have explored Lifou, the largest of the Loyalty Islands.
Thursday, July 23, 2015
New Caledonia // Best Bougna in Bourail //
Artist's paradise
On the way back to Nouméa we took a lunch break at 'Le paradis d'Amedée' to eat the most famous Bougna in Bourail (reservation 3 days in advance).
Bougna is a traditional feast dish of the Kanak people of New Caledonia. The word "bougna" comes from the Drehu word "puhnya" meaning "bundle", "pack". Bougna often contains taro, yam, sweet potato, banana, and pieces of either chicken, fish, crab, prawns or lobster.
The ingredients are wrapped in banana leaves and then buried to cook in a ground oven,
which uses red-hot rocks heated by fire. After about two hours of
cooking, the banana leaves are unearthed and unwrapped, and the contents
are eaten.
New Caledonia // Hienghène //
A piece of New Caledonian history
Hienghène's famous tourist attraction a funny shaped rock in form of a chicken.
Otherwise, it is a very small town and coastal gate to the Kanak tribals setteled in the midland. Kanak are the indigenous Melanesian inhabitants and constitute 40.3% of the total population of New Caledonia
A very unique experience, to stay with the tribal of Jean-Marie Tjibaou, the Kanak leader of the New Caledonian independence movement.
New Caledonia was annexed to France in 1853, and became an overseas
territory of France in 1956. A political movement, restarted by some
Kanaks in 1984, after an initial failed revolt in 1967, has strongly
pursued total independence status from the French rule. Tjibaou's was assassinated in 1989.
"Ecris...
Ecris le mal amer
sur le sable du bord de mer
Ecris nos luttes et nos suffrances séculaires
sur le tronc du gros bambou centenaire
Ecris notre histoire sur le marbre de notre terroir
Ecris notre sentiers humains
dans nos amitiés pour demain..."
- Nouméa, Mai 1991
Wanir Wélépane
La coutume
We followed the Kanak tradition of “la coutume”, which is an introduction and the offering of a small gift when you stay on tribal lands in New Caledonia.
If
you’re given the privilege of being invited to a tribal home, you
should respect the Kanak custom and introduce yourself to tribal's chief bringing a small gift: food, a few metres of
textiles, money or a packet
of cigarettes are the traditional and contemporary offerings.
The small token accompanied by a speech
serves as a sign of respect and gratitude for staying on the tribal's sacred land.
We've decided to not take pictures of this mystical place, but only of Hienghène.
Sunday, July 19, 2015
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