Vanuatu 2018 | Mysite

Vanuatu climate change and communication study tour

The main objective of this study tour was to see how emerging communicators and journalists can better communicate climate change in Vanuatu and our Pacific region to the rest of the world. Whether it be in the stories we tell or evident in our role as professional communicators and journalists.

1st WEEK: Port Villa, Efate – 23rd September – 30th September 2018

On this study tour I am lucky to be accompanied by 14 student’s fellow communication students, three Griffith University staff and an award winning SBS journalist, Stefan Armbruster. We arrived in Port Villa, Efate on Sunday, 23rd September, where we were greeted by the University of South Pacific students and staff. During the duration of our stay in Port Villa, we stayed at Chantilly’s on the Bay.

In an exchange program with USP Emalus Campus, during the week we discovered and learnt more about the resilience of the people of Vanuatu, especially during disasters such as TC PAM (CAT 5), which devasted Vanuatu and surrounding islands in 2015.

During the week we visited the Vanuatu Daily Post where they got to see a 'Web Leader' press and learnt about the realities of working in a newsroom in the Pacific region thanks to Dan McGarry

Thanks to the kind generosity of Tessa Fox, we were gifted with the opportunity to visit a local Kava bar for free to try Kava with some of the locals. Kava is a plant-based drink and the effects of kava include mild sedation and a slight numbing of the gums and mouth, muscle relaxant, anaesthetic and anxiolytic effects.

Photo: Griffith University Communication students with (Acting Prime Minister of Vanuatu) Hon. Ham. Lini Vanuaroroa in Port Villa

During the week we had the utmost privilege of meeting Minister of Climate Change and (Acting Prime Minister of Vanuatu) Hon. Ham. Lini Vanuaroroa, where his government launched the ‘National Climate Change and Disaster Induced Displacement Policy’.

2nd WEEK: TANNA - 30th September – 8th October 2018

We arrived on Tanna on the 30th of September. We were greeted by some of the locals which showed us to the Evergreen resort which we will our residence for our duration of stay on the island.

The Evergreen resort is situated on the coast line and is metres away from a beautiful marine sanctuary. Although most of the marine system visual appearance and ecosystem is was still distressing to see the effects of climate change on the marine system. A couple of the students and I went out snorkelling each day to gain a greater understanding of the visual effects caused by the rising sea temperatures.

During our visit on Tanna, we visited MT Yasur which is the most accessible and active Volcano in the world. Amazing thing to see and hear. It erupts several times an hour.

Photos: Griffith Communication students had a once in a life time opportunity to visit one of the worlds most accessible and active volcanoes in the world.

The group split into two and each group spent two days in Port Resolution at the yacht club, just on the east west coast of Tanna. No electricity at all and great view of the volcano at night.

‪During our stay at PR we spoke with a lot of the locals of Port Resolution and talked about how they are adapting using their techniques and even reverting back to traditional technologies in order to avoid using plastic. We were also joined by the Griffith Climate change response team who were actually at Port Resolution and we got to help them in some of the activities they were doing.

.

An interesting fact about Port Resolution is that Cpt Cook sailed into the harbour in 1774 on his ship (The Resolution) hence the name. When Cook visited the port he picked up some dirt and asked what this is called and the locals told him “Tanna” which is the name for dirt. The name the locals called the island was Tanak Sori. To end things on a great note my group got food poisoning or picked up a nasty bug on the last day but was a good trip.

On our last day we got to visit Louinio and had a culturally immersive experience watching and joining in on a traditional dance.