Nusumetu Community Conservation Site (Vanuatu): Where Myth, Culture and Conservation Intertwine

Photo credit: SPREP

In the Pacific, Melanesian communities such as those in Nusumetu, nestled in Green Hills of North Tanna in Vanuatu, myths are not just stories, they are maps of identity, land rights, and spiritual connection. The yam myth of Nusumetu is centred on why the land and forests must be respected and preserved.

Nusumetu was a taboo area, before being merged with Tipinime as a joint conservation area. It is traditionally protected for the remnant forest and the stones of the area following local beliefs regarding the traditional myth of yam with ‘white spots’ or Nusumetu as in north Tanna dialect.

Tipinime is a community conservation area in North Tanna and is part of a conservation initiative alongside Nusumetu. These areas are managed by local communities in the Naka region and are officially recognised under Vanuatu’s Environmental Protection and Conservation Act. The merging of Nusumetu with Tipinime into a joint conservation brings to recognition both ecological and cultural values, integrating traditional knowledge and modern conservation as a best practice in environmental stewardship.