The italian minority in Vanuatu

Article written by Enzo Traverso-Laurent, student in terminal STMG

There were about 80 Italian in VANUATU mostly sisters (nuns) and pastors but also building constructors. Those Italians who worked in buildings were working for two main companies, “Construction Dante Lenisa” and “La SMET Arber”. Those two companies built every airport, tower, house, road, bridge, church, school… On the island of Efate, Santo, Tanna, Ambae. Before and after the independence of the Republic of Vanuatu, the Italians who came to Vanuatu were recruited with simple ads on the beaches. It was mostly northern Italians who came for work. The first Italian had come in the 50s but they mostly came in the 60s. There were a lot of mixed marriages between Italian and locals, some Italian even brought back Ni-vans to Italy. The Italian minority in VANUATU has literally built the   foundations of the country. For the little anecdote there was a Ni-van, Baptiste who had learned Italian in the company “La Semt”.

Source :

Thérèse Traverso