Thursday, July 23, 2015

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.










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