Hymns in church, Bislama style, Vanuatu

Presbyterian church service, Peskarus Village, The Maskelynes. The choir comes out to sing and I'm invited to move to the front for a closer view. The women in the choir have plain coloured island dresses on, mostly white, I've not seen plain ones before. Voices mingle harmoniously, singing in Bislama; the pigeon English form used in Vanuatu, useful so that people with different island languages can communicate with each other. Many ni-Van speak three or more languages including Bislama. These people pray a lot. Daily morning devotion begins at 3:30am, or thereabouts, when the first volley of up to 22 clangs come from the ancient diver's tank suspended from a frame and stuck with a rod. The volley is repeated at random time intervals and lengths until sunrise and I was awake for all of them :)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• social
• science
• humanities
• vanuatu
• Maskelynes
• Peskarus
• south
• Pacific
• church
• choir
• service
• singing
• Bislama
• language

[seliseli123]

Thanks for uploading an amazing video!

:D Greetings from New Zealand Ni-Van

[mgibbvanuatu]

"All that thrills my soul Is Jesus" great hymn.

[Interlingua]

Thanks for posting. I'm interesting in Creoles and Bislama is one of the important Pacific languages.