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