Roi Mata’s Domain and the Eretoka (Hat) Island tradition

Record summary

Roi Mata’s Domain is a chiefly landscape on Efate associated with the traditions of Roi Mata, a powerful figure whose death and burial are connected in oral histories with Eretoka Island. The site’s archaeological evidence and continuing ni-Vanuatu interpretations offer a useful comparison between legend, mortuary practice, chiefly authority and heritage management. The domain was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List before this scope’s period, but substantial post-2010 documentation and interpretation remain relevant. The relationship between oral accounts, archaeological reconstruction and later colonial recording requires careful checking.