Port Vila, Vanuatu – 26 August 2025

Source: Daily Post

Five women weavers from SANMA Province have returned home to Vanuatu after taking part in a first-of-its-kind cultural exchange with Yolngu weavers from East Arnhem Land, northern Australia.

The three-week journey, supported by the Australian Government through the Vanuatu Skills Partnership (VSP), began at the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair and continued at the remote Gapuwiyak Culture and Arts Centre. It brought together two communities separated by ocean, yet bound by similar traditions: weaving pandanus fibres into items of beauty, heritage, and identity.

During their time in Gapuwiyak, the SANMA women introduced Teri-dyeing, a vibrant pandanus dyeing technique developed in Vanuatu through VSP. Their Yolngu counterparts were quick to embrace the colourful method, blending it into their own weaving styles and sparking fresh creative ideas for both groups.

The women also shared knowledge on how weaving can grow into sustainable livelihoods. Conversations focused on strengthening provincial handicraft hubs in Vanuatu especially the SANMA Creative Hub to improve market access and business practices within the local creative industries. Accompanying the delegation was Margaret Baltor from the Department of Industry, who helped guide the exchange.

For the Vanuatu women, the experience was more than technical training. It was a milestone, an opportunity to carry their culture abroad, to learn from another Indigenous community, and to see their weaving traditions celebrated on an international stage.

“It was not an easy journey, but it was worth it,” one weaver shared. “We have come back with new skills, new friendships, and new pride in what we do.”

The partnership is set to deepen in 2026, when Yolngu weavers will travel to Santo to continue the exchange. They will learn from Vanuatu’s provincial hub model, collaborate with local artisans, and participate in ‘Vanuatu Made’ events, including the Vanuatu Made Fashion Show in Port Vila.

This initiative marks the beginning of lasting ties between First Nations Australians and ni-Vanuatu craftswomen, celebrating resilience, creativity, and the shared role of pandanus weaving in both cultures. It also underscores the strength of the Vanuatu–Australia relationship, built not only on diplomacy but on the traditions of women, families, and communities.