Boasting two Guinness World Records, plus a World Heritage site, the tiny South Pacific tropical island nation of Vanuatu has an ever increasing profile.Chief Roi Mata’s Domain, a World Heritage Site on a tropical island in the South Pacific, is once more on the world stage. It is the final scene of a tale that involved 838 participants in a Guinness World Record Challenge, held in Port Vila, Vanuatu, on the 19th November. The event was hosted by You Me Support Foundation, a
Vanuatu charity.
The story extended across the 83 islands of the archipelago, which covers 1000kms. On each island the stars of the story discovered wonders that very few people know about, from giant burial stones in the south, to a fire walking ceremony, to giant lobsters and coconut crabs in the far north.
In the last chapter of ‘Vanuatu Treasure’ the two central characters, Natou-Kole and Laena are seen standing alongside the treasure chest, outside Roi Mata’s cave home, on Lelepa Island, while Maui, the giant tortoise, completes a victory roll in the sky.
Chief Roi Mata was an influential 17th century Melanesian chief and the last of Vanuatu’s paramount chiefs. He was famous for his social reforms and resolutions to local conflict. He was the first to host the great peace feasts, where he introduced a system of totemic clans, that bound the people together through maternal links.
Roi Mata is still held up as an inspiration and source of power for many of the Ni-Vanuatu people. It is believed the ancient cave drawing on Lelepa Island is of Roi Mata.
Custom tabu (prohibition) has remained in place for over 400 years, concerning Roi Mata’s mass burial site. It is said to contain between 25 - 50 members of his retinue, who were buried alive with him. It is understood the men were allowed to drink kava, a soporiphic local drink, but this privilege was not extended to the women.
According to custom stories he was the first chief to conquer the land and unite the tribes. Though Roi Mata had a peaceful reign, he was poisoned to death by his brother.
Roi Mata’s body was taken to the island of Artuk for burial, for the locals feared his spirit. A small community living on Artuk was forced to relocate to the main island of Efate.
Because of the oral tradition to the culture, it is hard to find very much written about this powerful chief. No one since has dared to take the name of Roi Mata.