Haos Blong Handikraft & Mahitahi

Description

We are a relatively new market that has been operating since November 2017. Although the market is new, the skills and kastom that are used to create our products are much older - in fact they’ve been passed down from generation to generation.

We are really proud to be a market dedicated to selling only Vanuatu Made products. This market acts as a reminder that the sale and promotion of locally made handicrafts ensures the preservation of traditional skills – a reminder that we hope sets a good example for other interested producers and vendors.

The production of handicrafts is centred on the sharing of stories and skills from one generation to another and these help form our unique cultural identity. We recommend that you ask your vendor to share a bit of extra information about a product of interest you may have – we doubt you’ll be disappointed. And remember, Vanuatu is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world - with more languages per head than any other country - and so even though we are a small country, there will be a huge range of stories to be heard from our vendors.

We are part of a wider program, the Handicraft Business Development Program, which is managed by the Department of Industry. This aims to maximize opportunities for the trade of local products, thereby creating employment for local people and injecting substantial money into the economy, especially the rural communities.