Recognised seasonal employees (RSE) from Vanuatu are getting together to celebrate Bislama Language Week and Vanuatu Independence Day on Sunday July 28.

Viticultura pastoral care manager Jo Ennion has stepped up to organise celebrations this year.  

Jo said the day’s events would coincide with Vanuatu’s children's day, on July 24, and Independence Day, on July 30, with a big, fun day at Earnscleugh Hall.

“Nivans from Cromwell, Alexandra, Ettrick and Roxburgh will all be getting together to celebrate.

“The guys have been getting the programme for the day together, there will be a string band, a skit, some speeches and good food.

“It is a little different this year because of timing [the first week was in October in 2023], with our winter crews here the event will be down scaled a bit.”

Jo said everyone was welcome to join the Nivan community to enjoy music and culture and were asked to bring a plate of food to share.

Jo said doctor Trevor Lloyd, who can speak Bislama and has worked as a doctor for Volunteer Services Abroad (VSA) in Vanuatu, will be sharing his experience with staff at Dunstan Hospital. 

Primary school visits are also planned for schools in Cromwell and Roxburgh during the week. 

Last year was the first year of a two-year trial of Bislama Language Week in Central by the Ministry of Pacific Peoples. 

Bislama is the language of Vanuatu, where many of Central’s recognised seasonal employees (RSE) come from. 

It is a common language for Ni-vans, as across Vanuatu there are 113 distinct languages and many more dialects.

Bislama is phonetically English, it has a melanesian grammar, resulting in complex ideas being expressed as stories that are often a great deal longer than if told in English.

From October through November there are about 400 Ni-vans (people from Vanuatu) arriving in Central for the following seven months' of work in horticulture and viticulture.

After 74 years of joint rule between Britain and France, Vanuatu received its independence on July 30, 1980.