September 2016
Vanuatu women cooking in their traditional manner
The Tupunis Slow Food Festival concluded on Tanna island, Vanuatu a few days ago. The 5 day event brought together people from Vanuatu, PNG, Bougainville, New Caledonia (Kanaky); the Solomon Islands and Fiji to celebrate traditional ways of preparing and preserving food and also to celebrate national identity. It was the first festival of its kind in Melanesia. The festival was co-organised by local organisations (including Vanuatu Slow Food Network, Vanuatu Land Defence Desk, Vanuatu Cultural Centre, Tafea Cultural Centre) and supported by The Christensen Fund as well as the Vanuatu Government.
Vanuatu traditional method of preserving food
Two representatives from PIFON farmer organization member, Kastom Gaden Association, attended the event.
The main take home message is to promote good health by returning to traditional ways of life and encouraging consumption of local food thus reducing the statistics of non-communicable diseases in Vanuatu.