World Heritage Identification Number: 1280
World Heritage since: 2008
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Memorial Sites
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇻🇺 Vanuatu
Continent: Oceania
UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific
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Chief Roi Mata's Domain: A Testament to Peace and Social Reform in Vanuatu
The Chief Roi Mata's Domain, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, offers a unique glimpse into the rich cultural history of Vanuatu. This significant site encompasses three early 17th-century AD locations spread across the islands of Efate, Lelepa, and Artok. These sites are intrinsically linked to the life, death, and legacy of the last paramount chief, or Roi Mata, of central Vanuatu.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Chief Roi Mata’s Domain is the first site to be inscribed in Vanuatu. It consists of three early 17th century AD sites on the islands of Efate, Lelepa and Artok associated with the life and death of the last paramount chief, or Roi Mata, of what is now Central Vanuatu. The property includes Roi Mata’s residence, the site of his death and Roi Mata’s mass burial site. It is closely associated with the oral traditions surrounding the chief and the moral values he espoused. The site reflects the convergence between oral tradition and archaeology and bears witness to the persistence of Roi Mata’s social reforms and conflict resolution, still relevant to the people of the region.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (iii): Chief Roi Mata’s Domain is a continuing cultural landscape reflecting the way chiefs derive their authority from previous title holders, and in particular how the tabu prohibitions on the use of Roi Mata’s residence and burial site have been observed for 400 years and continue to structure the local landscape and social practices.
Criterion (v): Chief Roi Mata’s Domain is an outstanding example of a landscape representative of Pacific chiefly systems and the connection between Pacific people and their environment over time reflected in respect for the tangible remains of the three key sites associated with Roi Mata, guided by the spiritual and moral legacy of his social reforms.
Criterion (vi): Chief Roi Mata’s Domain still lives for many people in contemporary Vanuatu, as a source of power evident through the landscape and as an inspiration for people negotiating their lives. The authenticity of Chief Roi Mata’s Domain lies in the continuing association of the landscape with the oral traditions of Roi Mata, continuity of chiefly systems of authority and customary respect for the tangible remains of his life evident in the continuing tabu prohibitions on these places.
Encyclopedia Record: Roi Mata
Roi Mata was a chiefly title in the central islands of Vanuatu. It was borne by a long dynasty of chiefs, from the 11th to the 17th century.Additional Site Details
Area: 886.31 hectares
Number of Components: 1
(v) — Outstanding example of traditional human settlement
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
Coordinates: -17.6280694444 , 168.1777194444
World Heritage Research
Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Chief Roi Mata’s Domain from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.
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Stones in Motion: monuments and chiefly title histories in central Vanuatu
Stones serve as foundational elements in the chiefly title system of central Vanuatu, anchoring narratives and genealogical claims that trace migration histories. The study highlights three key sets of stones: Wotanimanu, a stone pillar symbolizing a chief's arrival by sea; grave markers, magic stones, and stone arrangements representing successive chiefs; and stelae erected by the first Presbyterian missionary to commemorate conversions. These stones embody chiefly power and agency, illustrating how material culture sustains social structures and historical memory in the Shepherd Islands.
Ballard, C. (2023). Stones in Motion: monuments and chiefly title histories in central Vanuatu. Archaeology in Oceania, 58(1), 20–32. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/arco.5283
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Illustrations
Chief Roi Mata's Domain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Efate Island in Vanuatu, is depicted through detailed maps illustrating its core area and buffer zone. These visual representations provide a comprehensive spatial understanding of the site's significance, highlighting its ecological and cultural importance. The illustrations, part of the publication 'My Land, My Life,' serve as a critical tool for both academic and general audiences, offering insights into the geographical context of this culturally rich domain.
(Ed.). (2023). Illustrations. My Land, My Life, xiii–xxiv. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780824897192-002
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A Night on the Island: Jean Guiart and Roi Mata on Lelepa
A pivotal ethnographic encounter between Jean Guiart and Lelepa elders in 1958 uncovered critical details about the late sixteenth-century 'court' of Chief Roi Mata, a key figure in Vanuatu's history. Guiart's meticulous field notes from this single evening on Lelepa became foundational for José Garanger's later archaeological surveys (1966-67), which directly informed the nomination and inscription of Chief Roi Mata’s Domain as Vanuatu’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. The study reconstructs this encounter by cross-referencing Guiart’s field journal, interview recollections, and oral histories from participating elders, highlighting its enduring significance for both cultural heritage preservation and archaeological research.
Ballard, C. (2022). A Night on the Island: Jean Guiart and Roi Mata on Lelepa. Journal de La Société Des Océanistes, 154, 93–104. https://doi.org/10.4000/jso.13718
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Disaster as Opportunity? Cyclone Pam and the Transmission of Cultural Heritage
Cyclone Pam (2015) exposed both risks and opportunities for cultural heritage transmission at Chief Roi Mata’s Domain (CRMD), a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vanuatu. The study reveals that while disasters often threaten tangible and intangible heritage, they can also catalyze its redefinition and renewal. By analyzing the disaster's impact through a 'disaster biography' framework, researchers found that repetitive natural hazards reshape cultural practices and heritage narratives, blending destruction with creative adaptation. This approach shifts focus from loss to opportunity, demonstrating how post-disaster cultural reworkings can preserve or transform heritage in dynamic ways.
Ballard, C., Wilson, M., Nojima, Y., Matanik, R., & Shing, R. (2019). Disaster as Opportunity? Cyclone Pam and the Transmission of Cultural Heritage. Anthropological Forum, 30(1-2), 91–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/00664677.2019.1647825
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Ecological management in a cultural landscape
A biodiversity survey of Artok, part of Chief Roi Mata’s Domain (CRMD) in Vanuaturevealed the island to be a critical refuge for endangered species, including those listed under IUCN Red List and CITES Appendices. The study identified a low presence of invasive species compared to nearby Efate and documented a potential new subspecies of skink, endemic to Artok. This scientific assessment provided the local ni-Vanuatu community with additional ecological data to strengthen their defense against development pressures and cultural erosion. The research employed a collaborative approach, integrating traditional knowledge with standardized biodiversity surveys, offering a model for holistic ecological management in culturally significant landscapes.
Kerle, A., & Fleming, A. (2012). Ecological management in a cultural landscape. Ecological Management & Restoration, 13(2), 110–111. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-8903.2012.00650.x
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Bafa Zon: localising World Heritage at Chief Roi Mata's Domain, Vanuatu
A critical examination of local responses to the buffer zone design for Chief Roi Mata's Domain (CRMD), a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vanuatu, reveals that the process has enabled landowning communities to redefine buffering by integrating both conservation and development under the local concept of 'bafa zon.' This study highlights how internal and external influences shape the evolution of the buffer zone, suggesting that supporting locally valued measures could simultaneously achieve World Heritage conservation goals and foster economic development. The research employs a case study approach to chart the contested yet dynamic process of localizing globalized buffering practices, offering insights into the potential for balancing global heritage objectives with local priorities.
Trau, A. M., Ballard, C., & Wilson, M. (2012). Bafa Zon: localising World Heritage at Chief Roi Mata’s Domain, Vanuatu. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 20(1), 86–103. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2012.712981
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Legacy of a chief: Chief Roi Mata's Domain, Vanuatu
Chief Roi Mata's Domain in Vanuatu stands as a testament to the Pacific Islands' rich cultural and biological diversity, reflecting their deep-rooted indigenous heritage. This region, often referred to as the 'aquatic continent,' hosts 10 million people who speak one-fifth of the world's languages, with over 90% of its population being indigenous. Notably, it boasts the highest rate of indigenous peoples within national populations globally and maintains a significant portion of land under customary ownership or traditional tenure systems. The study highlights the intensified efforts by Pacific States Parties to the World Heritage Convention, culminating in an increased number of World Heritage sites through regional consultations and workshops, such as those led by UNESCO and the Pacific 2009 Programme.
Galla, A. (2012). Legacy of a chief: Chief Roi Mata’s Domain, Vanuatu. World Heritage, 169–177. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9781139567657.019
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