Nakamal facts for kids
A nakamal is a special meeting place in Vanuatu, a country made up of many islands. People use nakamals for important gatherings, traditional ceremonies, and for drinking a special local drink called kava.
You can find a nakamal in almost every important community in Vanuatu. However, the way a nakamal is built and the traditions around it can be different from one area to another.
Contents
What Does "Nakamal" Mean?
The word nakamal comes from Bislama, which is one of the main languages spoken in Vanuatu. Bislama borrowed this word from other local languages in Vanuatu, like North Efate.
In these languages, nakamal means "men's house." It combines the word na, which is like "the" in English, and kamal, meaning "house." So, a nakamal is traditionally a place for men to gather.
Traditional Nakamals
In the northern and central parts of Vanuatu, a nakamal is usually a large building. It is built using natural materials by the whole community, often led by a village chief.
Who Can Enter?
Often, only men are allowed inside these traditional nakamals. The building might also be used as a place for unmarried men and boys to sleep and live. Male visitors to the village can also stay there.
Most nakamals do not have a door that can be locked. This shows that all friendly visitors are welcome. There might be a low barrier at the entrance to keep animals out.
Outdoor Meeting Areas
In front of a nakamal, you often find a flat, open space called a nasara. This area is used for traditional dances and outdoor meetings.
In southern Vanuatu, a nakamal might not be a building at all. It could be a large, sheltered outdoor space, like under a huge banyan tree.
Important Nakamal Buildings
Even in Vanuatu's capital city, Port Vila, important buildings are designed like traditional nakamals. For example, the assembly building for the national council of chiefs, called the Malvatumauri, looks like a nakamal.
Nakamals as Kava Bars
Today, one of the most common uses for a nakamal is as a place to prepare and drink kava. In cities in Vanuatu, and in nearby New Caledonia, the word nakamal can also mean a kava bar where this drink is sold.
However, in rural areas of Vanuatu, a traditional nakamal is different from a kava bar. In a traditional nakamal, preparing kava is a group activity, and people usually do not pay money for it. Kava bars, on the other hand, sell the drink.
If you see a colored light at the entrance of a place in a city, it usually means that kava is sold there.
