Vanuatu Proverbs (12)

“The wantok who eats alone today will hunger alone tomorrow.”

Those who refuse to share within their community lose that community's support when they themselves are in need.

“A canoe paddled by many hands reaches the reef before the storm.”

Cooperative effort accomplishes what individual effort alone cannot, especially in the face of danger.

“Land does not belong to one man; it belongs to the grandchildren not yet born.”

Customary land is held in trust for future generations, not owned outright by any single living person.

“Kastom is the root; the leaf that forgets the root will wither.”

A person who abandons traditional custom loses the source of their strength and identity.

“The chief who forgets his people will one day find no one behind him.”

Leadership in kastom society depends on the ongoing consent and support of the community, not on title alone.

“The sea gives to those who respect it, and takes from those who do not.”

Careless disregard for nature and its taboos brings misfortune, while respect for it brings sustenance.

“The storm passes, but the reef remembers.”

Hardship leaves a lasting mark on a community, shaping how it prepares for the future even after the danger has gone.

“The man who plants the banyan does not live to sit in its shade.”

Some work is done for the benefit of descendants rather than for oneself, and is worth doing anyway.

“The nakamal welcomes every man, but the kava bowl remembers who came empty-handed.”

Community spaces are open to all, yet true belonging is earned through contribution, not merely presence.

“When the yam harvest is good, no man boasts alone.”

Shared success belongs to the whole community that worked for it, not to any one individual.

“A quarrel between brothers is settled by the same fire that cooked their food.”

Conflicts within a family or clan are best resolved within that same close circle, not carried to outsiders.

“A small garden grows large when many hands dig together.”

Collective labor turns modest resources into abundance.