No archaeological evidence of cannibalism found in Vanuatu despite oral history references

A leading French archaeologist working in Vanuatu has shed light on some of the country’s oldest funerary traditions, revealing new insight into ancient customs and debunking popular assumptions about cannibalism through the lens of science.

Dr Frédérique Valentin, a bioarcheologist from France’s Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), has been working in the Pacific for years and is best known in Vanuatu for her contributions to the archaeological site of Teouma on Efate. In an interview with FM107 French Programme “Franco des Iles “ Dr Valentin discussed her ongoing work and discoveries that continue to shape our understanding of the archipelago’s early human settlements.

At Teouma, Dr Valentin and her team uncovered 68 funerary contexts, revealing a complex ritual system practiced over 3,000 years ago. Strikingly, none of the buried skeletons had skulls. Instead, skulls were found in separate deposits elsewhere—sometimes alone, sometimes associated with headless bodies—indicating a tradition of skull removal and ceremonial relocation.

 “This shows that the skull held deep significance for the earliest populations of Vanuatu, particularly during the Lapita period,” said Dr Valentin. “The practice of separating the skull from the body still echoes today in some areas like Malekula, where traditional customs include preserving the skull after decomposition, sometimes even modelling it into rambaramp funerary effigies.”

While oral history in Vanuatu refers to cannibalism, particularly in Malekula, Dr Valentin stated clearly that no archaeological evidence supports these claims to date. “Unlike Fiji or Papua New Guinea, where cut marks on bones suggest cannibalistic activity, we have found no such markings in Vanuatu,” she said. “Historically, it may have occurred, but the science has not confirmed it.”

Currently, Dr Valentin is involved in new research at Pangpang, on Efate Island, working alongside well-known archaeologist Dr Stuart Bedford and with the support of Chief Matthew David. The site, located in what oral tradition identifies as an old nakamal, revealed the remains of six individuals—five adults and a child—believed to date back 300 to 500 years, well before missionary arrival.

The team is now conducting ancient DNA analysis to trace the origins of these individuals and gain insights into historical migration patterns across central Vanuatu. “By analysing bone samples and teeth, we hope to learn more about population movements and genetic connections across the Pacific,” Dr Valentin explained.

She encouraged young Ni-Vanuatu students to pursue archaeology to contribute to national research and help strengthen the efforts of the Vanuatu Cultural Centre and National Museum.

“The past is buried all around us,” she said. “Archaeology doesn’t just tell us about the dead—it helps the living understand who we are and where we came from.

Dr Valentin specialises in the study of ancient human remains and funerary practices in the Pacific region, with a focus on understanding how early Oceanic societies treated their dead and what those practices reveal about their social, spiritual, and cultural lives.

She has conducted fieldwork across numerous Pacific Islands, including Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga, and the Marquesas Islands. Her research is notable for combining archaeology, anthropology, and ancient DNA analysis to reconstruct the lifeways, movements, and identities of the Pacific’s earliest populations.

kizzy@buzzfm.vu