Cannes – A Journey into the Heart of the Pacific: the exhibition “Vanuatu. The Voice of the Ancestors” at the Musée des Explorations du Monde

Musée des Explorations du Monde, Cannes
📅 Until Sunday, May 25, 2025

Embark on a captivating journey to the South Pacific through the exhibition “Vanuatu: The Voice of the Ancestors”, hosted at the Musée des Explorations du Monde in Cannes. This immersive experience invites visitors to explore the rich cultural heritage of Vanuatu, an archipelago once known as the New Hebrides.

The exhibition showcases a remarkable collection of traditional artifacts, including ritual masks, ceremonial sculptures, and musical instruments, many of which were acquired by traveler and collector Georges Liotard during the 1980s and 1990s. These objects are complemented by exceptional loans from the Musée d’Arts Africains, Océaniens, Amérindiens (MAAOA) in Marseille, gallery owner Franck Marcelin, and private collectors.

Photographs taken by Liotard between 1966 and 1976 provide context, capturing a way of life on the cusp of change, just before Vanuatu’s independence. Through six thematic sections, the exhibition delves into the myths, rituals, and societal structures of this unique culture, offering insights into its complex systems of social hierarchy and spiritual beliefs.

A highlight of the exhibition is an installation by Cannes-based artist Laurent Barnavon, which recreates a traditional men’s house, housing ancestral skulls and the museum’s masterpiece: the rambaramp, a funerary effigy from the village of Ainbur, dating between 1950 and 1955.

The exhibition concludes with a focus on Vanuatu’s intangible cultural heritage, featuring:

• Sand drawing, recognized by UNESCO in 2008

• Traditional music and dance

• The dramatic and perilous Gol Jump

• Arts festivals celebrating living traditions

• Culinary practices reflecting the island’s rich biodiversity

This exhibition not only celebrates the enduring legacy of Vanuatu’s ancestors but also serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by island communities in the face of climate change and rising sea levels.

🕒 Practical Information

• Location: Musée des Explorations du Monde, Place de la Castre, Le Suquet, Cannes

• Hours:

  • December to March: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM

  • April to May: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM

• Closed: Mondays, December 25, and January 1

• Admission:

  • Full price: €6.50

  • Reduced: €3.50 (ages 18–25, groups of 10 or more, Cannes Pass Culture)

  • Free: Under 18s and students

• Exhibition Catalogue: 48 pages, available for €5