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CultureGrams
Kids Edition 2017 New Caledonia
Nouvelle-Caldonie

British Captain James Cook named New Caledonia after the Latin name for Scotland.
New Caledonia's motto is Terre de parole, terre de partage (Land of speech, land of sharing).
For 40 years, the capital city of Nouma was a penal colony (place to exile prisoners). It also served as a U.S.
military headquarters in the South Pacific during World War II.
The New Caledonian crow is native to the island and is known for its high intelligence and ability to use tools, such
as capturing grubs with twigs.
New Caledonia has a quarter of the world's nickel, which is used in cell phones, kitchen tools, medical
equipment, and buildings.
New Caledonia is surrounded by a coral reef barrier and has one of the largest lagoons in the world. The lagoon
has some of the clearest waters on the planet and is home to a wide variety of marine life, including reef sharks,
leopard rays, rock lobsters, turtles, and parrotfish.
New Caledonia is home to the largest species of tree fern in the world. They are so large they look like palm trees.

Flag
The flag of France is one of the official flags of New Caledonia. The colors represent
the French Revolution. Red and blue symbolize Paris, while white is the color of royalty.

National Image
The Kanak flag is flown alongside the French flag and is also an official flag of New
Caledonia. The blue symbolizes the sky and the ocean. The red stands for the blood
shed by the Kanak in their struggle for independence and unity. The green represents
the land itself and the ancestors buried within it. The yellow disc symbolizes the sun.
The fleche fatiresymbol is a kind of arrow thrust through a tutut shell that is
traditionally found on the roofs of Kanak houses.

Land and Climate

Area (sq. mi.)

7,172
Area (sq. km.)
18,575

New Caledonia is a semi-autonomous (partly independent) French territory located in

the South Pacific Ocean east of Australia and north of New Zealand. It is made up of
several islands. The main island of Grande Terre is one of the largest islands in the
Pacific Ocean. The remaining islands are part of an archipelago (island chain) that

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includes the Loyalty Islands, the Blep Islands, the Chesterfield Islands, the Isle of
Pines, and several smaller uninhabited islands and atolls (ring-shaped reefs).
Altogether, the islands are a little larger than Fiji, or slightly smaller than the state of
New Jersey.

The main island is divided in two by a central mountain range. The west coast is
covered in plains and savannas (grasslands), where people farm. The east coast is
very green and covered in tropical evergreen forests. The Diahot River is New
Caledonia's longest river. Many of the smaller islands are flat and were formed on top
of ancient collapsed volcanoes.

The climate in New Caledonia is tropical, meaning it is hot and humid most of the year.
Trade winds from the southeast sometimes cool temperatures off. Cyclones are
common in New Caledonia, usually between November and March.

Population

Population
275,355

The majority of New Caledonians live in and around the capital city of Nouma. The
native Kanak people are the largest ethnic group in New Caledonia. The next largest
group is European Caledonians. This includes people of European descent born in New
Caledonia as well as those who immigrated from France. There are smaller
percentages of Wallisians (from the Wallis Islands), Futunians (from Futuna Island),
Tahitians, Indonesians, Vietnamese, and Ni-Vanuatu. Because New Caledonia has an
important mining industry, there are also large groups of Australians, New Zealanders,
Canadians, and others who have come for work.

Language
French is the official language of New Caledonia and is spoken by the majority of the people. During the colonization of
the islands, French was the only language allowed. But today there are around 30 different native dialects (ways of
speaking or pronouncing) spoken in daily conversation. Some of these, including Paici, Drehu, and Nengone, are
taught in school along with French. Most business is done in French.

Can You Say It in French?

Hello Bonjour (BONE-zhure)
Good-bye Au revoir (OH re-VWAHR)
Please S'il vous plat (SEEL voo play)
Thank you Merci (mare-SEE)
Yes Oui (wee)
No Non (noh)

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Religion

Source: The World Factbook 2017. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency, 2017.
The majority of New Caledonians are Roman Catholic. A smaller percentage are Protestant, many of them
Evangelicals. There are also smaller numbers of Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, and Baha'i. Some Kanak combine their
Christian faith with traditional native beliefs, such as worshiping ancestors and placing a lot of importance on planting
and the harvest.

Time Line
1500 BC
1500 BC The Lapita people are the first inhabitants, followed by Polynesians in
1000 BC
AD 1700
AD 1774 British explorer James Cook names the islands New Caledonia
1793 French navigator Antoine de Bruni arrives

1841 Protestant missionaries from the London Missionary Society arrive;

traders from Australia introduce the islanders to the use of iron
1853 New Caledonia is annexed (added as an extra part) by France and
used as a penal colony (place to exile prisoners); the discovery of
nickel leads to the development of the mining industry

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1878 The native Kanak people revolt against French settlers over the loss of
their land; this leads to more repression (controlling or restraining
people by force), including the destruction of villages and crops

1899 The French begin a head tax, which forces native males to find work
with settlers or the government in order to pay the tax
1900
1953 French citizenship is granted to all New Caledonians
1957 A Territorial Assembly is created with powers to elect a leader under
the presidency of a high commissioner
1980s A growing desire for independence leads to violent unrest
1984 The Front de Liberation Nationale Kanak Socialiste (FLNKS) political
party is formed with the goal of creating an independent state called
Kanaky
1988 Kanak and European communities sign the Matignon Accord, which is
an agreement to end direct rule from Paris and a plan to hold a vote on
independence in 1998
1998 The Nouma Accord sets a timetable to slowly transfer responsibilities
from France to the territory and puts off the planned 1998 vote on
independence to between 2014 and 2018

2000
2006 In a response to longtime Kanak requests, the French parliament
(lawmaking body) votes to restrict the voting rights of French citizens in
New Caledonia
PRESENT

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Early Settlers
The earliest known settlers of the land that is now New Caledonia were called the
Lapita. They lived in the region thousands of years ago and were known for their
excellent navigation skills and farming. Between the 1200s and the 1700s, Polynesian
peoples began migrating (moving from one area to another) to the area. They mixed
with the Lapita and became the ancestors of the Kanak people. The Kanak lived off of
the land, growing yams and a root vegetable called taro. They were organized into
clans.

European Visitors
British explorer Captain James Cook was the first European to sight what is now New
Caledonia in 1774. Parts of the islands reminded him of Scotland, so he named it after
the Latin word for Scotland. Few explorers came to New Caledonia after Captain Cook
until traders realized the island was rich in valuable sandalwood, which was used to
make medicines and incense (a substance burned for its sweet smell).

In the 1840s, traders, whalers, and Christian missionaries all arrived in New Caledonia.
In 1853, France took control of the region. Many of the Kanak were enslaved and sent
to work on sugarcane plantations in Fiji and New Australia. Kanak land was taken by
the French colonial government, leading to a number of unsuccessful revolts. In the
1878 revolt, 200 Europeans and 1,200 Kanak died. France turned the island into a
penal colony (place to exile prisoners). Around 22,000 criminals were sent to New
Caledonia between the 1860s and 1897.

World War II
The population of New Caledonia grew over the next few decades as nickel was
discovered in 1864, attracting settlers and miners from Asia and Europe. Close to
45,000 people lived there by the 1930s. During World War II, the United States created
a military base on New Caledonia from which to run the Allied campaign in the South
Pacific. This brought close to 50,000 American troops to the island. After the war, New
Caledonians pushed for more control over their own affairs and government. In 1946,
New Caledonia became a French overseas territory. All New Caledonians were given
French citizenship in 1953.

The Events
Throughout the 1980s, different political parties struggled for power in New Caledonia.
Some Kanak parties wanted full independence from France, while others wanted to
keep ties with France. In 1984, the pro-independence parties joined together to form
the Front de Liberation Nationale Kanak Socialiste (FLNKS). The FLNKS then refused
to take part in the year's elections. Four years of violence and political assassinations
followed. This period of unrest became known as "The Events." Eventually, the French
prime minister worked out a deal between the different party leaders to stop the
violence. They agreed to hold a referendum (vote on a single question) on
independence in 1998. However, peace was not easily achieved.

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New Caledonia Today

Instead of holding the referendum (vote on a single question) on independence in 1998,
the various leaders signed the Nouma Accord. This agreement meant that New
Caledonia was given greater control over its own affairs and created New Caledonian
citizenship, so that the people could become official citizens of New Caledonia rather
than citizens of France. The referendum was put on hold until a time of more stability.
However, the disagreements between political parties who want independence from
France and those who want to stay tied to France continue to trouble New Caledonia.

Games and Sports

Football (soccer) is one of the most popular sports in New Caledonia. The national
team has won the South Pacific Games several times, and people love following its
progress at home and abroad. Va'a (Polynesian outrigger canoeing) is popular in
Nouma because of its large Polynesian community. Competitions are held throughout
the year, and teams regularly travel to other countries in the Pacific to compete. Cricket
(similar to baseball), basketball, volleyball, handball, rugby, swimming, cycling, scuba
diving, and horse racing are other favorite sports.

Holidays
New Caledonia Day is held on 24 September and celebrates traditional parts of daily
life in New Caledonia. Also known as Citizens Day, the holiday is marked by festivals,
dance performances, and booths displaying local arts and crafts, such as wood carving,
basket weaving, and sculpture.

Christmas and New Year's Eve are also favorite times of the year. Families celebrate
Christmas Eve with a big meal and gathering together to attend Mass. Afterward, they
exchange presents and dance. People set off fireworks at midnight on New Year's Eve
and enjoy going out to bars and restaurants with friends.

Food
New Caledonians enjoy a wide variety of foods. Root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, yams, and taro are common.
Pork, beef, and deer are favorite meats. Rice is eaten regularly. Bougna is a typical meal made up of taro, banana, and
chicken or fish wrapped in banana leaves and cooked buried under hot rocks or coals in an oven in the ground. Many
families grow their own vegetables and fruits and then buy fish or seafood at markets. Favorite fruits include papaya,
mangoes, pineapple, and coconuts.

Because of the large Vietnamese community in Nouma, Vietnamese snacks such as spring rolls are popular. Salade
Tahitienne (raw fish in coconut milk) originally comes from Tahiti and is another favorite meal.

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Schools
New Caledonian kids start their education with maternelle (kindergarten) and then
move on to primary (elementary) school and secondary (high) school. The system of
schooling is patterned after the French educational system. However, the school year in
New Caledonia begins in January. Classes are mainly taught in French, but many
schools now also teach classes in a variety of different Kanak dialects (ways of
speaking or pronouncing).

The school day starts at 7:45 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m., with an hour-and-a-half lunch
break and two shorter recess breaks in the mid-morning and afternoon. Subjects
include French, math, science, geography, history, English, and sports. Children have
the choice of eating in the canteen (cafeteria) at school, where a three-course lunch is
provided, or going home to eat lunch. Most children ride to school with their parents or
on a bus.

Life as a Kid
Growing up as a kid in Nouma is very different from growing up in the outer islands. There are very few high schools
in the outer islands, and most students must come to Nouma to finish their education. In the city, they can see and do
things that they may not have been able to before, such as eating takeout food, going to the theater and nightclubs,
and more. It is an exciting time, but it can also be stressful and overwhelming for many teenagers from the outer
islands, and many of them choose to return to their islands and families. No matter where they're from, young kids
spend their days with family or playing outdoors in the water and at the beach.

High schoolaged kids are often concerned with having to find work after they finish school. There are job options in
the tourism industry, working on farms, or cleaning homes. If they want to continue their education, they can study
more at the university in Nouma. Others leave to go to France to study, or even go to Australia or New Zealand on
scholarships.

Government

Capital
Nouma
Head of State
President Emmanuel Macron (France)
Head of Government
President Philippe Germaine

New Caledonia is divided into three provinces (similar to states). It is led by a president who is elected by the Territorial
Congress (the lawmaking body) to serve a five-year term. The 54 members of the Territorial Congress are directly
elected by the people to serve five-year terms. New Caledonia also has two seats in the French National Assembly and
two seats in the French Senate. The voting age is 18.

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Money and Economy

Currency
CFP franc

Nickel and the mining industry are the backbone of the economy. Nickel is used in cell
phones, kitchen tools, medical equipment, and buildings. New Caledonia has a quarter
of the world's nickel deposits. But this means that the economy strengthens or weakens
along with the global price of nickel. Fishing and tourism are other important industries.
Most of the land is not good for farming, so New Caledonia has to import (buy from
other countries) much of its food. France provides financial aid to help strengthen the
economy.

Getting Around
In the city, families often own more than one vehicle, particularly motorcycles and scooters. Traffic can be a problem,
especially during rush hour in Nouma. In the countryside, there are often just a few vehicles shared between an entire
community. People get around by foot or by bus, sometimes hitchhiking or riding a horse. There is one main highway
that runs along the coast of Grande Terre, and boats and airplanes run between Nouma and the outer islands.
Tontouta International Airport outside Nouma connects New Caledonia with France, Asia, Australia, New Zealand,
and other countries. The capital city is also a major seaport.

The Kanak
The Kanak are the native people of New Caledonia, and they make up just under half of
the population. Their traditional society is organized around clans. Different clans
sometimes join together to make a chefferie, or a small community or village ruled by a
chief. Like many of the islanders in the Pacific, the Kanak are known for their sculpture
and painting inspired by ancient and modern art. The Tjibaou Cultural Centre in
Nouma is a beautiful gallery where local art is displayed. Modern Kanak music,
referred to as Kaneka, is a blend of traditional music, reggae, and rock. Traditional
dances often represent a legend or a message and are performed by dancers wearing
costumes made of bark, feathers or leaves, wooden masks, and paint.

Learn More
Contact the Embassy of France, 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007; phone (202) 944-6000; web site
www.franceintheus.org. Or contact the Tourist Office of New Caledonia, web site www.newcaledonia.travel/en.

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