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Tanna Adventures ....
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| GREAT 'TANNA ISLAND' TOURS . | INSPIRING 'TANNA' WALKS. | ||
Tour 1 - The Classic Mount Yasur Trip. Tour 2 - Port Resolution / Shark Bay Trip. Tour 3 - Mt Yasur Volcano - "THE BIG DAY OUT" Tour 4 - Blue Cave Trip. Tour 5 - BlackManTown / Giant Banyan Trip. |
Walk 1 - Second (Lenuingao) Waterfall & Beach Walk Walk 2 - 'Kastom' Trails Walk to Esso's. Walk 3 - 'Kastom' Trails Walk to Black Magic. Walk 4 - First (Lenuanatuaiu) Waterfall Walk. |
..... GIANT BANYAN TREES.
Forests in Vanuatu are richly varied and include giant Banyan trees, kauri pines and some remnant stands of sandalwood as well as over 150 plant species which are specific to Vanuatu. The steep terrain has protected Vanuatu's forests from logging, which has been a problem in many other pacific nations.
A major interest of Vanuatu in regard to its plant life, are giant banyan trees which often dominate village meeting or dancing places , especially on Tanna Island. The Banyan tree is a huge evergreen tree with very extensive branches and grows to a height of more than twenty(20) metres and lives for many years. It can grow in to the giant tree covering several hectares and for some mature species it is said that thousands of people can sit under its shade at one time. Its branches spread out and send trunk like roots to the ground in order to support itself. The multirooted banyan begins by growing around another tree, which it ultimately strangles out of existence. These massive twisting mazes of trunks and vines are among the earth’s largest living organisms.
The Banyan tree, native to India and part of the Mulberry family, is an enormous tree with many uses and a vast history. Young plants put forth roots, which form secondary trunks to support the expansive limbs. These trunks send out more roots until they crowd out the host tree.
The leaves of the banyan tree are large, leathery, and used as animal fodder. The tree produces figs which are popular with birds and also produces flowers that attract wasps for pollination. Older trees can reach more than 200 meters in diameter, with a height of 30 meters.
While native to India, Banyan trees exist throughout South Asia. In most villages, the banyan tree provides a meeting place for the community. People gather in the shade of the banyan tree to relax, discuss issues, and make decisions.
It is interesting that introduced trees in villages and agricultural areas have made little impact, and there is still a predominance of indigenous species. Colonial planters and missionaries failed to eliminate 'kastom' on Tanna and society has retained its own memory of its history and identity. The Banyan tree plays an important part as it serves as a symbol of establishment and stability. In Tannese mythology, at the beginning men wandered without shelter or protection from the sun, rain, or the cold of night. The growth of vegetation with real trees, provided the first protection and at the foot and in the shade of Banyan trees, men hollowed out the first dancing grounds and built their houses. They then spread gradually throughout the whole island, following wherever Banyans sprang up.
However, the depth and importance socially of Banyan trees on 'Man Tanna', goes beyond physical function and man is compared to a tree whose roots thrust deep into the sacred earth. The Banyans around the most prestigious dancing grounds are symbolic of men and bear the names of ancestors who founded the clans. If the Banyan leaves the soil it dies, its land and political rights are extinguished, its magical and life-giving powers fade away. And the same occurs with man so the analogy goes
[Updated May 2019]
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Personalised Bookings. [May 2019]We continue to provide "peronalised itineraries" for visitors to the island. Click the buttom below to be taken to our booking queries page.
