Turaga nation
Encyclopedia
The Turaga nation is an indigenous movement based in northern Pentecost Island
, Vanuatu
. Its leaders include Chief Viraleo Boborenvanua and Motarilavoa Hilda Lini
. The organisation has its headquarters in the traditional village of Lavatmanggemu on the north-east coast of Pentecost.
The Turaga movement promotes the revival of traditional Melanesian customs, modernised in certain respects. In place of the Western economic system, which is seen as a cause of poverty and foreign dependency, the movement promotes the kastom (custom) economy, based on traditional systems of economic exchange and native forms of currency such as pigs and woven mats. The Turaga movement operates its own bank (called Tangbunia after the giant baskets in which valuables were traditionally stored) at which these items can be deposited, and has devised a unit of currency (the livatu
, equal to the value of a fully curved boar's tusk) in which their value can be reckoned.
The movement operates a school, the Melanesian Institute of Science, Philosophy, Humanity and Technology (Bwatielen Borebore, Vovoraga, Mwaguana i Gotovigi, commonly known as noda hinggehingge "our school") at which scholars are offered an alternative to the Western-style education provided by Vanuatu's other schools. The school follows a seven-stage programme of its own creation, with teaching organised according to a native lunar calendar. Scholars write in the native Raga language
or in Bislama, using an alphabet named Avoiuli
devised by Chief Viraleo and inspired by traditional sand drawings.
The Turaga movement has caused controversy, with some dismissing the movement as pointless and self-serving, and many devoutly Christian islanders viewing it as a step backwards into heathenism. The movement has also been criticised for promoting its own particular interpretation of traditional culture. In 2008, violence between Turaga followers and their opponents in the central Pentecost village of Tansip led to a man being hospitalised with serious injuries. However, Turaga enjoys high-level political support in Vanuatu, and its leaders argue that the values they promote are common to all traditional Melanesian societies and are not incompatible with Christianity.
Pentecost Island
Pentecost Island is one of the 83 islands that make up the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu. It lies due north of capital Port Vila. Pentecost Island is known as Pentecôte in French and Pentikos in Bislama. The island was known in its native languages by names such as Vanu Aroaroa, although these...
, Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
. Its leaders include Chief Viraleo Boborenvanua and Motarilavoa Hilda Lini
Motarilavoa Hilda Lini
Motarilavoa Hilda Lini is a chief of the Turaga nation of Pentecost Island in Vanuatu in the South Pacific, who has been associated with the nuclear-free Pacific movement, women’s rights, indigenous rights, and environmental issues. Following Vanuatu's 1980 independence, she became the first woman...
. The organisation has its headquarters in the traditional village of Lavatmanggemu on the north-east coast of Pentecost.
The Turaga movement promotes the revival of traditional Melanesian customs, modernised in certain respects. In place of the Western economic system, which is seen as a cause of poverty and foreign dependency, the movement promotes the kastom (custom) economy, based on traditional systems of economic exchange and native forms of currency such as pigs and woven mats. The Turaga movement operates its own bank (called Tangbunia after the giant baskets in which valuables were traditionally stored) at which these items can be deposited, and has devised a unit of currency (the livatu
Livatu
The Livatu is a unit used by the Turaga indigenous movement and the Tangbunia Bank in Vanuatu to reckon the worth of items of traditional currency such as pigs and textiles. One livatu is equivalent to one fully curved boar's tusk, a symbolic item of value in Vanuatu culture...
, equal to the value of a fully curved boar's tusk) in which their value can be reckoned.
The movement operates a school, the Melanesian Institute of Science, Philosophy, Humanity and Technology (Bwatielen Borebore, Vovoraga, Mwaguana i Gotovigi, commonly known as noda hinggehingge "our school") at which scholars are offered an alternative to the Western-style education provided by Vanuatu's other schools. The school follows a seven-stage programme of its own creation, with teaching organised according to a native lunar calendar. Scholars write in the native Raga language
Raga language
Raga is the language of northern Pentecost island in Vanuatu. Raga belongs to the East Vanuatu languages, a branch of the Austronesian languages family...
or in Bislama, using an alphabet named Avoiuli
Avoiuli
Avoiuli is a writing system used by the Turaga indigenous movement on Pentecost Island in Vanuatu. It was devised by Chief Viraleo Boborenvanua over a 14-year period, based on designs found in traditional sand drawings, and intended as a native alternative to the Western alphabet...
devised by Chief Viraleo and inspired by traditional sand drawings.
The Turaga movement has caused controversy, with some dismissing the movement as pointless and self-serving, and many devoutly Christian islanders viewing it as a step backwards into heathenism. The movement has also been criticised for promoting its own particular interpretation of traditional culture. In 2008, violence between Turaga followers and their opponents in the central Pentecost village of Tansip led to a man being hospitalised with serious injuries. However, Turaga enjoys high-level political support in Vanuatu, and its leaders argue that the values they promote are common to all traditional Melanesian societies and are not incompatible with Christianity.