Benefitting country(ies): Vanuatu

Overview:

Celebration of 2007, the Year of the Traditional Economy in Vanuatu© Kirk Huffman

This project was designed to establish and promote traditional money banks that would allow people who are involved in the production of various forms of traditional wealth to continue producing such wealth while those who are primarily involved in the cash economy can have access to the traditional valuables needed for ceremonial activities.

Through this project, sufficient data on traditional money banking mechanisms and local communities demanding maintenance and revitalization of their traditional money systems was collected. Local populations were actively involved in the project; traditional money bank systems were established in many islands in Vanuatu, providing them with infrastructure materials necessary to establish traditional money banks. The project also resulted in the Vanuatu Government declaring “the Year of Traditional Economy 2007” so as to ensure the importance of traditional economy for self-reliance and sustainable development.

Related documents:

• Project survey report, by Kirk W. Huffman (English)
• Evaluation Report, by Kirk W. Huffman (English)
• Article: Pigs, prestige and copyright in the Western Pacific (English ). Kirk W. Huffman; Explore Vol. 29 No. 6, Australian Museum

01/09/2004 - 01/09/2007 – Implementation of the National Action Plan for the Safeguarding of Traditional Morin Khuur Music of Mongolia01/01/2005 - 01/05/2006 – Enhancing Women’s Role as Custodians and Artisans of Egyptian Handicrafts