ABOUT
Peoples and customary communities of Vanuatu
Vanuatu is a highly diverse archipelago. This grouped page keeps distinct island and customary communities visible without presenting all ni-Vanuatu as one ethnic group.
Completeness status: 33 inventory rows reviewed — 8 GREEN/resolved, 25 REVIEW. Broad island and archipelago labels remain REVIEW when they cannot safely be reduced to a single people.
Current documented community inventory
| People / customary community | Broad area / context | TRIBE-X status |
|---|---|---|
| Banks Islands communities | Torba Province | REVIEW — broad archipelago umbrella |
| Torres Islands communities | Torba Province | REVIEW — broad island-community umbrella |
| Vanua Lava communities | Torba Province | REVIEW — island umbrella; no single people resolved |
| Gaua communities | Torba Province | REVIEW — island umbrella; no single people resolved |
| Mota communities | Torba Province | REVIEW — current people-level evidence insufficient for standalone GREEN |
| Espiritu Santo communities | Sanma Province | REVIEW — very broad island umbrella |
| Malo communities | Sanma Province | REVIEW — island/community label not safely resolved as one people |
| Aore communities | Sanma Province | REVIEW — island/community label not safely resolved as one people |
| Ambae communities | Penama Province | REVIEW — East Aoba standalone exists, but broader Ambae umbrella remains unresolved |
| Maewo communities | Penama Province | REVIEW — Central Maewo standalone exists, but broader island umbrella remains unresolved |
| Pentecost communities | Penama Province | REVIEW — broad island umbrella |
| North Pentecost communities | Penama Province | REVIEW — people-specific evidence not yet sufficient for standalone GREEN |
| Central Pentecost communities | Penama Province | REVIEW — people-specific evidence not yet sufficient for standalone GREEN |
| South Pentecost communities | Penama Province | REVIEW — people-specific evidence not yet sufficient for standalone GREEN |
| Malekula communities | Malampa Province | REVIEW — broad island umbrella |
| Small Nambas communities | Malekula | REVIEW — identity/source resolution still incomplete |
| Big Nambas communities | Malekula | GREEN — represented by Big Nambas standalone |
| Ambrym communities | Malampa Province | REVIEW — broad island umbrella |
| North Ambrym communities | Ambrym | GREEN — represented by North Ambrym Islanders standalone |
| South-East Ambrym communities | Ambrym | GREEN — represented by Southeast Ambrym standalone |
| Paama communities | Malampa Province | GREEN — represented by Paama standalone |
| Epi communities | Shefa Province | REVIEW — broad island/community umbrella |
| Tongoa communities | Shepherd Islands / Shefa | REVIEW — stronger people-specific evidence still needed |
| Shepherd Islands communities | Shefa Province | REVIEW — archipelago umbrella |
| Efate communities | Shefa Province | REVIEW — broad island umbrella |
| North Efate communities | Efate | GREEN — represented by North Efate standalone |
| Erromango communities | Tafea Province | REVIEW — island umbrella; no single people resolved |
| Tanna communities | Tafea Province | REVIEW — broad island umbrella |
| North Tanna communities | Tanna | GREEN — represented by North Tannese standalone |
| South Tanna communities | Tanna | REVIEW — people-specific evidence not yet sufficient for standalone GREEN |
| Aneityum communities | Tafea Province | GREEN — represented by Aneityumese standalone |
| Aniwa communities | Tafea Province | REVIEW — related to West Futunan evidence but not merged into a separate Aniwa people record |
| Futuna Island communities | Tafea Province | GREEN — represented by West Futunan standalone |
The remaining REVIEW entries are intentionally conservative. They remain visible as inventory umbrellas without being turned into unsupported standalone pins.
Representation note
This inventory is a research framework. It does not define customary land ownership, chiefly authority, island boundaries, marine tenure, sovereignty or legal jurisdiction.