Vanuatu Sand Drawings

　　Proclamation: 2003

　　Member State(s): Vanuatu

　　Region: Asia-Pacific

　　Associated themes: Traditional knowledge and know-how

　　Situated in the South Pacific some 2,000 kilometers northeast of Sydney, the Vanuatu archipelago has managed to preserve its unique and complex tradition of sand drawing. More than an indigenous artistic expression, this multifunctional "writing" occurs in a wide range of ritual, contemplative and communicative contexts.

　　The drawings are produced by trained specialists directly on the ground, in sand, volcanic ash or clay. Using one finger, the drawer traces a continuous meandering line on an invisible grid to produce a graceful, often symmetrical, composition of geometric patterns. This rich and dynamic graphic tradition has developed as a means of communication among the members of some 80 different language groups inhabiting the central and northern islands of Vanuatu. The drawings also function as mnemonic devices to record and transmit rituals, mythological lore and a wealth of oral information about local histories, cosmologies, kinship systems, song cycles, farming techniques, architectural and craft design, and choreographic patterns. Most sand drawings possess several functions and layers of meaning: they can be "read" as artistic works, repositories of information, illustration for stories, signatures, or simply messages and objects of contemplation. Since sand drawings are not merely "pictures," but delicate webs of interconnected songs, stories, and knowledge with sacred and profane meanings, a master sand drawer must possess not only an intimate knowledge of graphic patterns but also a deep understanding of their significance. In addition, he must be capable of interpreting the drawings for spectators.