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Maewo Women’s Cultural Festival

Every year, the Maewo Women’s Cultural and Arts Festival attracts over 300 visitors many of which are yacties. The festival celebrates traditional island culture and the key role of women “ngwotaris” or notari who are women who hold high chiefly ranks in their village society. 

maewo dancers reussiradire-casimir

To become a ngwotari, women must go through a process to learn and know their island history, way of life, tribes, weaving of mats with special and different designs and messages, traditional cooking, arts and drawings, traditional rituals, preparation for custom wedding and death ceremonies, and traditional healing using herbs and plants, among many other processes and kastom systems of the female chief.

Other facts

Population 3,569
Airports Naone (North Maewo): Flights operate on Thursdays
Best time to visit Any time of year
Major centres Kerampe (North Maewo), Asanvari (South Maewo)
Phone signal TVL and Digicel both have signal in the northern and southern areas.
Internet a few schools have limited internet access
Banks the National Bank of Vanuatu is located in Beterara (North Maewo)
Food Options Maewo does not have a market that sells fresh produce, small shops have basic food supplies.