Usage of Leaves in Vanuatu

I am constantly amazed by the vegetation in Vanuatu, and how people use items from nature in their daily lives. Leaves play an important role in daily life and there doesn’t seem to be anything that they can’t be used for! Here are a few ways that ni-Vans use various types of leaves.  
          

•    Making Roofs

Natangura leaves are dried  and used as roofs of houses. It is A LOT of work to cut down, dry, and then arrange the natangura leaves into 'shingles' for the roof. I spent one full day (eight hours) with some women, and in that time they didn't even make enough to cover the roof of a tiny kitchen. It's amazing how long the roofs hold up, although in times of high wind there are always repairs that must be made afterwards. 

•        To-go food containers
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         Often at fundraisers, events, funerals, etc, lap lap or other food is parceled to go in leaves. Two leaves are laid out like an X, food is put in the middle, and then the leaves are folded up and tied with the 'boon'- the middle hard part of the leaf. It's very environmentally friendly- no garbage or dishes to do after the food is eaten!

• Eating

            Never did I think that I would ever walk behind my house to pick some leaves to eat for dinner. Nevertheless, aelen kabis (island cabbage) is a regular part of my diet in Vanuatu. Unfortunately snails and other bugs also like to eat aelen kabis, so my leafy dinner is usually full of holes. I tell myself that it's local and organic to try to get my mind off of the fact that snails were hanging out on my dinner.

•        Making baskets

       Many people earn their income by selling food- such as                    taro, manioc, kumala, and cabbage- at the market. People 

      weave baskets out of coconut leaves to hold the food. 

•       Weaving mats, purses, and crafts
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      Mats are an important part of life and culture in Vanuatu. On Ambae, mats are woven and dyed red. These mats (not pictured, but can be seen at this link) are used in ceremonies, weddings, and deaths. Other mats (such as the one pictured) are used in daily life for sitting on in the house, in the kitchen, or outside. Women use dried pandanas leaves to make mats as well as purses and fans. 

•                  Baking

  Baking is hard work in Vanuatu! It's often done, daily in some families, although I only bake when I am with a neighbor. First, a

pile of rocks is put on top of a fire for about an hour to make the 

rocks hot. Then the rocks are taken off of the fire (which is now 

just a hot area). Food, such as taro or lap lap, is wrapped in 

leaves, either banana leaves or another leaf that when I ask what it

is I am just told it is a lap lap leaf. The food wrapped in leaves is placed on the hot area and then the rocks are placed on top. After a few hours of cooking, the rocks are taken off again, the leaves are unwrapped, and then it is finally time to eat! 

There are many many more uses of leaves in Vanuatu, but these are a few that I commonly see. The ability of the people of Vanuatu to use the local resources to do anything from bake to weave purses to make roofs is truly incredible.