National traditions of New Caledonia. Habits, mentality and the way of living

On small islands in the Pacific Ocean not far from Australia that we know under the name of New Caledonia, life first had appeared several thousand years before the Europeans discovered them. Sometimes, the name New Caledonia is used to describe the principal island of the country - Grande Terre, which means “Big Land”. This is exactly what famous explorer James Cook said when he first saw an island after his ship named Resolution had sailed many miles of the World Ocean. He noticed a big land with a high mountain (Mont Panie – 1,628 meters) that was not present on his map. This happened in 1774. At that time, only Melanesian peoples lived on the islands. They were living as separated tribes that didn’t have a united name as a nation. The islands also didn’t have a name. James Cook was from Scotland that had another name in the past, Caledonia. When exploring other islands in the area, he noticed many similarities with his motherland, so he decided to name the newly discovered islands “New Caledonia”.

Initially, the British tried to make New Caledonia their territory, but the French claimed the islands in the middle of the 19th century. They founded Port-de-France settlement in 1854. Having colonized the territory, France started bringing convicts to the islands, so New Caledonia became their prison. Convicts were involved into mining of gold and then nickel. French became the main language of the islands, and Port-de-France got the capital city status, changing its name to Noumea. Local lifestyle slowly became similar to the European one because of numerous Europeans who settled on the islands.

Indigenous peoples adopted European standards and Christianity. Now referred to as Kanak people, they have become more educated, but many of them try to maintain the traditional lifestyle of their ancestors. Separated life in a small tribal community has given birth to some traditions that look bizarre to Europeans. One of these traditions – cannibalism – existed until the second half of the 20th century. The islands’ tribes were cannibals since ancient times. They ate the brain of their relatives, and this was absolutely normal for them. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

One more old tradition prohibits bargaining in New Caledonia – Kanaks do not negotiate prices at markets or workshops. When tourists buy something, they need to pay the indicated price or do not buy anything at all in order not to get into an unpleasant situation. Do not try to bargain – local people will consider this an insult. The system of gift-giving is also complex and hard-to-understand for foreigners. If a Kanak person receives a gift, he or she must give back an item of similar value as a return gift. If you want to give a present to someone, then you need to be prepared for this “ritual gift exchange”. And vice versa – if you receive a gift, you must make a gift as well. By the way, tips are considered a gift in the islands, so it is better to refrain from tipping in order not to put local people into an awkward situation.

Nowadays, New Caledonia is an official French overseas territory. Discussions regarding the independence of the islands appear from time to time, but the majority of the population prefers to remain under the French protectorate. Almost 100% of the population can read and write, and elementary education is mandatory and free in New Caledonia. French is the official language of the islands. If you want to practice this language, a vacation in New Caledonia will be not only pleasant but also useful. Everyone speaks French here – the staff at the airport, hotels, shops, etc. Not everyone knows English, but it should be noted that all guides know it well. There are also more than 30 local Melanesian and Polynesian dialects on the islands.

Here are some interesting facts about New Caledonia. This is a country of smokers. According to statistics, 47% of the population smoke. Every European will be surprised by the local system of alcohol sale. It is possible to buy a bottle of wine in a local shop only during a limited period of time – on Friday evening, on Saturday, and Sunday morning. Alcohol sale is completely banned in shops on Ile des Pins (the Isle of Pines). Local restaurants sell alcoholic drinks at any time and on any day of the week, but the price is ten times higher. Noumea, a true port and industrial center of the islands, has its own traditions. The city becomes empty on weekends as its residents prefer to visit the neighboring small islands. That being said, the weekend is the best time for tourists to explore the historic part of the capital and enjoy leisure strolls.

Rodeo is quite popular on Grande Terre. Experienced equestrians compete in their skills to tame bulls and horses. In order to see an authentic and spectacular rodeo, consider visiting an agricultural fair in Koumac. Koumac is a town in the northern part of the island. As it is located at a distance from the capital, there are not many tourists, so this town has an authentic traditional lifestyle and traditional passion for rodeo. When thinking that the Kanaks were cannibals in the past, some tourists may have an image of hostile locals. That is not true because local people are very friendly with tourists.