There are three official languages of Vanuatu – English, French and Bislama, the most common Vanuatu language. A type of creole language based on English, Bislama is the most common second language in Vanuatu and is the native language of many Luganville and Port Vila residents, known as ni-Vanuatu. However there are also more than one hundred indigenous Vanuatu languages spoken throughout the islands.

Vanuatu has the highest language density per capital in the world, with around 138 different languages and 2,000 speakers of each local language. Some Vanuatu language is endangered with hardly any speakers left however in general, they are not expected to become extinct. Much of the Vanuatu language has adopted the namesake of the island it is spoken on, although some larger islands are home to several different languages, such as Malakula and Espiritu Santo which are considered the most diverse in terms of language with around 24 languages spoken on each island.

Vanuatu linguistic diversity is now increasingly threated by the spread of the national language, Bislama. In fact it’s difficult to say for sure how many languages, among the 138 of Vanuatu are still alive. The reason is that many languages were already at the verge of extinction when they were discovered; they were only spoken or rather remembered, by a handful of people, sometimes less than 10 to 15 individual usually of very old age.

While Vanuatu is desperately struggle to protect its language its cultures is facing similarity and this is due to the outside influences.

The people of Vanuatu, a name which means ‘Land Eternal’, are largely Melanesian and the people are called Ni-Vanuatu (meaning ‘of Vanuatu’). Ni-Vanuatu have lived in these islands for centuries with 138 distinctly different cultures and languages still thrive here. Vanuatu is recognised as one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. Dances, ceremonies, status and systems of authority, artistic styles, animal and crop husbandry can vary from island to island, and often from district to district. These cultural traditions are known as kastom (or custom).

In kastom-oriented areas, traditional ceremonies still form an integral part of village life. From the island of Epi northwards, status and power are earned by taking ‘grades’ through the nimangki system. Men show their wealth in elaborate ceremonies accompanied by feasting and dancing, and ritual pig killings. On Pentecost Island the famous land diving ceremony celebrates the yam harvest from April to June. Men and boys dive from wooden towers with vines tied to their ankles, helping to guarantee a bountiful harvest the following year.

The Government of Vanuatu’s vision for growth and development, as outlined in the National Sustainable Development Plan for the next 15 years, places culture as the foundation in attaining stable and sustainable growth for Vanuatu.

All societies express their lifestyle demands in terms of certain preferences and these demands may change over time. At certain times, some societies may pursue the development (of) one pillar over another; be it the economy, society or the environment. Ni-Vanuatu have expressed a demand for balance among the pillars with culture as both the foundation from which the rest of the plan is built, as well as a common theme running through the priority areas. Culture was a foundational issue as in the Preamble of the Constitution of the Republic of Vanuatu.  Culture is a representation of the underlying Melanesian values of Respect, Harmony, Unity, and Forgiveness. Our mission is to preserve, protect and promote the Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Vanuatu for posterity.