A nakamal is a traditional meeting place in Vanuatu. It is used for gatherings, ceremonies and the drinking of kava.
A nakamal is found in every significant Vanuatu community, but the design of the nakamal and the traditions surrounding it vary between areas.
Etymology
The term
nakamal is a
Bislama word, borrowed from certain Oceanic languages spoken in Vanuatu, such as North Efate. In those languages, such a form can be parsed as
na kamal(i), combining the common article
na and a noun
kamal or
kamali. Ultimately, it descends from a Proto-Oceanic and Proto-Malayo-Polynesian
etymon *kamaliR, meaning "men's house".
Cognates in non-Oceanic languages include
Cebuano language and
Tagalog language kamalig “granary”.
Traditional nakamals
In north and central Vanuatu, the nakamal generally takes the form of a large building, assembled from traditional materials with the help of the entire community, under the direction of a particular chief. Entry to the nakamal is often restricted to men, and the building may be used as a sleeping and living area for unmarried men and boys and for male visitors to the village. Significantly, most nakamals lack a lockable door, indicating that all friendly visitors are welcome, although there may be a low barrier across the entrance to keep out animals.
In front of a nakamal there is often a flattened clearing, or nasara, used for dances and outdoor gatherings.
In southern Vanuatu, a nakamal may be a large, sheltered outdoor space, such as under a banyan tree.
In Vanuatu's capital Port Vila, the assembly building of the national council of chiefs (Malvatumauri) is designed in the form of a traditional nakamal.
Nakamal as kava bars
The
nakamal’s most prominent function nowadays is as a place for the preparation and drinking of
kava. In urban Vanuatu, and in neighbouring
New Caledonia, the term
nakamal may be used for a kava bar where the drink is sold, although in rural Vanuatu a traditional nakamal (where
kava preparation is a communal activity and money does not usually change hands) is distinct from a kava bar.
An urban nakamal or kava bar at which kava is available for sale is advertised by a coloured light displayed at the entrance.
See also
Notes
