Shem v Iohnamu [1986] VUSC 18; Land Case L3 of 1984 (19 March 1986)

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF
THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU

LAND CASE NO. L3/84

Tom Shem
Barnabas Nareang
Willie Nambas
Simon Novou

v
Sam Iohnamu

ORDER

WHEREAS a land dispute exists between the above parties to a piece of land in Tanna;

AND WHEREAS the matter was dealt with by the Island Court without first seeking the views of the Council of Chiefs on Tanna;

AND WHEREAS the decision of the Island Court a copy of which is attached, is now the subject of an Appeal before the Supreme Court, I the Chief Justice, hereby request the Council of Chiefs to consider this matter and forward their views to me before 30th April 1986.

Dated at Port-Vila this 19th day of March, 1986.

Frederick G. Cooke
CHIEF JUSTICE

Frederick G. Cooke
Chief Justice
Supreme Court
Port Vila, Vanuatu.

Tanna Island Council blong Chiefs Niko Le Ten
P.O. Box 5
Tanna, Vanuatu.

22nd May, 1986.

Dear Sir,

Riferem igo long letter blong you dated 19th march, 1986 we you been writem mo sentem icome long Tanna Island Council blong Chiefs Niko Le Ten about Land Lounapuas we

Barnabas Narueag V. Sam Iohnamu
Tom Shem
Willie Nambas
Simon Novou

Olgeta olistap tok tok from.

Tanna Island hem i glad blong givem views blong hem long you about land ia long side blong custom.

Long 29th October, 1984 Tanna Island council blong chiefs i holem one meeting blong look look long authority blong Tom Shem more Barnabas Narueag blong look look supose tufalla igat right long side long custom inside long ground Lounapuas mo Ienaula Nakamal.

From letter blong you we you sentem icome, Niko Le Ten hemi holem No 2. two) metting back again long number 14 Apri1, 1986 hemia last month blong look look back again long olgeta history blong olgeta names we olistap long Letter ia.

Long Twofalla metting ia Tanna Councils blong Chiefs i aprovem se Lenapuas land we istap long dispute hemi blong Barnapas mo Tom Shem.

Niko Le Ten hemi aprovem se tufalla Tom Shem mo B. Narueag, tufalla igat right over land Lounapuas mo Ienaula Nakamal from we

1. Twofalla icome long Tripe name blong hem Nakusi Armanig.
2. Ienaula nakamal hemi bigfalla nakamal blong tufalla we hemi nakamal olistap makem Toka dance long hem long eareaia, wetem olgeta people blong tufalla.
3. Willie Nambas hemi blong Tripe name blong hem Kouiameta we icome long south Tanna mo hem ino realated to Nakusiarmanig Tripe long side blong custom blong Tanna.
4. Tom Shem more B. Narueag tufalla istap inside long tripe opasesion long Kiouiamata Tripe we name blong hem Nimruken long side blong custom blong Tanna.

Ino every nakamal long Tanna Island we olistap makem Toka dance long hem be samfalla nakamal nomo. From olsem Ienaula Nakamal hemi bigfalla Nakamal I over long land Lounapuas isoem se Barnapas more T. Shem tufalla i owenem land long Lounapuas long side blong custom.

Blong look look long side blong Willie Nambas report, hem i tolk about Kingdom Niprou. Tanna Island Council blong Chiefs i wantem makem i clear long you se, Kingdom Niprou hemi blong long time finish many thousands years ago. Fight blong twofalla kingdom Kouiameta more Nimruken istad long time finish before family blong Willie Nambas imove inside blong stap long Louanapuas, more Lenaula Nakamal.

Hemia history blong family blong W. Nambas blong clearfy long you why hemi think se hemi ownem Land Lounapuas.

Long Side blong custom bigfalla Nambas olgeta, hemi man from South Tanna nakamal blong hem hemi IENAPE long Kwamera area.

Before Christianity icome long Tanna Bigfalla Nampas hemi man blong Pois on name blong hem hemi Nahak or Netik long custom blong Tanna. Nambas ia hemi poisenem plante man long south Tanna mo oli dead. Nambas ia hem igat wan son blong hem name blong hem Nourita. Taim olfala Nambas hemi Dead finish, olgeta man long south Tanna olistap fight against Nourita from family ia istap poisenem ol man. From fight ia, Nourita bikinini blong bigfalla nambas long south hemi ran away long nakamal blong hem mo hem i karem canoe i baddle long hem igo kasem one place name blong hem hemi IAKURARUR mo hemi go shore long place ia. Iakurarur hemi long Port Resolution east Tanna. Hemi go stap long one village name blong hem Eneai. Long Time ia Tripel war istap go ahead yet long Island blong Tanna.

Time we christianity, hemi move strong back again, long time ia Nourita hemi stap long Eneai village long Port Resolution. Before hem i dead hemi gat wan son blong hem name blong hem NANUA. After long time ia olman oli start blong livelong peace more from peace istard blong grow after christianity, wan man name blong hem NALPINI ASIM Hemi out long wan nakamal name blong hem LOANPAI hemia long weisisi mo hem i paddle long canoe igo long Port Resolution mo hem i karem Nanua icome long Weisisi iputem hem long one village name blong hem hemi IMAKI long Weisisi. Taim Nanua hemi istap long Weisisi hemi maried long wan woman name blong hem hemi NIMALJ women blong Labagtoua village Tanna. Twofalla igarem three sons, 1. Poit 2. Nambas we baba blong Willie Nambas more 3. Kapen.

Time we Nambas baba biong Willie Nambas i borne, wan man name blong hem hemi Ietika, we hem i first Pastor blong Presbyterian church long White Sands Tanna, hemi adoptem hem mo time Nambas hemi bigfalla hemi givem one women long hem too blong mared long hem mo name blong women ia hemi IASU. Long time is Ietika hemi givem long Nambas one small piece blong land we name blong hem hemi LOUNITOU we hemi long way, long Lounapuas Land. From we long fashion ia Nambas baba blong Willie Nambas hemi stap under long authority blong olfalla Ietika.

Before Nanua we grandfather blong Willie Nambas icome blong stap long Weisisi, some tripel war hemi takem place finish first time between olgeta travelers we oli ran away long place blong olgeta mo olicome oli stap long Weisisi mo between family blong Tom Shem more B. Narueag. Long olgeta fight ia, planty people long side blong Narueag more Shem oli dead be few inomo oli live. Long time ia olgeta travelers oli winem fight mo oli move inside mo karem ground or land blong family blong Shem mo Narueag. Time Nanua hemi come long Weisisi Ietika hemi givem ground long family blong hem be ground ia ino ground blong Ietika be hemi blong Narueag more T. Shem. Time we Nambas baba blong Willie Nambas istap long small piece land we Ietika i givem long hem now hemi start blong siftem boundry blong come kasem Lounapuas land we today hemi tallem se hemi land blong hem.

Tanna Island council blong chiefs hem i aprovem finish long side blong Tanna custom se land Lounapuas hemi no land blong Willie Nambas from we family blong hem hemi ran away from nakamal blong hem long south Tanna from hemi stap poisenem ol man mo hemi come istap today long ground blong Tripe blong Nakusiarmanig we propa land owners tufalla T. Shem more B. Narueag. Long side long Tanna custom, family blong W. Nambas we today oli stap long Nakusiarmanig Tripe, olgeta oli Travlers nomo be one day oli must go back long south Tanna long proper place, village no nakamal blong olgeta.

Tanna Island council blong Chiefs Niko Le Ten hemi wantem tallem long you se Willie Nambas hemi save good se family blong hem hemi come long south Tanna, village more Nakamal blong hem IENAPE be hem istap makem excuse nomo blong tallem se hemi blong Lounapuas.

Hemi no gat right nothing long Land Lounapuas more ino blong hem long side blong Tanna Custom.

Side Blong Simon Nuvou

Tanna Island Council blong Chiefs i wantem tallem long you se Simon Nuvo hemi no gat right long Land Lounapuas. Long side blong custom hemi blong Lenakel area more family blong hem icome from Lenakel west Tanna. Hemi member blong olgeta Travlers nomo istap long Weisisi olsem family blong Willie Nambas. Hemi no gat right long ground Lounapuas.

Long side blong Iohnamu.

Iohnamu hemi blong nakamal Letapu long side blong custom more today hemi stap under long authority blong Barnabas Narueag more Tom Shem. Tanna Island Council hemi look save history blong Sam Iahnamu mo B. Narueag more Tom Shem iglad long hem blong stop long ground blong twofalla long side blong custom.

Tanna Island Council blong Chiefs hemi wantem tallem long you se hem aprovem long side blong Tanna custom se Louapuas land hemi blong Barnabas Narueag mo Tom Shem more bigfalla Nakamal blong tufalla we hemi blong Toka dance hemi Ienaula.

Willie Nambas hemino chief blong Toka be hemi long side blong custom blong Tanna hemi got wan name we long language blong Tanna italem se Tupunis blong Netik or Nahak iminem se man we imakem poisen.

Blong clearem back again long side blong Tanna Custom se Tanna Island Council blong Chiefs hemi aprovem se Land Lounapuas hemi blong Barnabas Narueag wetem Tom Shem according long history blong olgeta everyone.

Hemia now vies blong Tanna Island council blong chiefs corncernem Land Lounapuas you been askem wetem aprovel blong hem long side blong Tanna Custom.

Chief Tom Numake
President blong Tanna Island Council Blong Chiefs
Niko Le Ten