Chief Roi Mata’s Domain, Sacred burial grounds in Shefa, Vanuatu
Chief Roi Mata's Domain spreads across three islands and includes burial sites, ceremonial spaces, and archaeological remains from Melanesian times. The landscape reveals how sacred places were arranged and how communities organized their settlements across these locations.
Chief Roi Mata lived in the late 18th century and achieved peace between divided tribes through negotiation and leadership. His connections to multiple islands and efforts to unite communities shaped the importance of these lands.
The domain holds deep meaning in local stories as Chief Roi Mata is remembered as a peacemaker who brought rival groups together. The place names and sacred practices that visitors encounter still reflect the social bonds that his leadership created.
You should visit with a local guide who will lead you through different areas and explain how to respect the sacred zones. The terrain is uneven in places, so wear comfortable clothing and footwear suitable for walking across varied landscape.
The site integrates both land areas and water zones, revealing ancient practices of land and resource management. This combination of terrestrial and marine elements is unusual and shows how people used the entire island landscape for both living and ceremony.
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