Lovonda Noi Barry Cultural Village
At Lovonda Noi Barry Cultural Village on Ambae, ceremonial slit-drums that have stood in the village since the 12th century are still beaten in living custom ceremonies — not as a tourist performance, but as a continuation of a tradition that predates European contact. This is one of the most authentic cultural encounters in all of Vanuatu.
The Ceremony
Visitors are welcomed into a custom ceremony that has been passed down through generations, centred on the resonant thud of the ancient slit-drums (tam-tams). Each drum carries its own voice and rank within the village hierarchy — the deep, layered rhythms they produce together are felt in the chest as much as heard.
Custom dances follow, performed in traditional dress, with elders narrating the meaning of each movement. The atmosphere is participatory rather than theatrical: you are a guest at a living cultural event, not an audience member at a show.
Food & Craft
The experience includes a display of traditional foods — expect taro dishes, island fruits, and the ceremonial food known as 'kworo', a root-based preparation that plays the same celebratory role on Ambae that cake does in Western culture.
Local artisans demonstrate the carving of ceremonial masks, a craft that encodes ancestral stories in every cut. Watching a mask take shape under a carver's adze, with the carver explaining its spiritual meaning, is the kind of slow, irreplaceable travel moment that no resort can replicate.
Getting There & Timing
The village is bookable through the Vanuatu Tourism Office's Penama Province listings, with a standard fee of around 5,000 VT per person for a 3-hour experience. Arrange in advance — ceremonies require preparation and the community appreciates notice.
The Back to the Islands Festival in August, when diaspora Ni-Vanuatu return home, and Independence Day on 30 July both supercharge the island's cultural calendar. Timing your visit around these events means the village ceremonies are even more elaborate and joyful.
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