Mota (island)
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Mota is an island that is an extinct volcano of a height of 411 kilometres in the Banks Group of Torba Province in northern Vanuatu.
About 900 people live on Mota in twelve villages. The largest villages are
Liwotkei Lotawan Mariu Sqea Tasmate Garamal Tukwetap Veverao
Mota is a round circular shaped island.
The island is famous because its language was used by the first missionaries in Melanesia. For the better part of a century from 1849, most teaching in classrooms and schools of all kinds, and most prayers and hymns from Isabel in the Solomons all the way through Pentecost in Vanuatu were done in the language of this small island. Some words are still known throughout the Melanesian archipelago are Mota words, e.g. as "tasiu" (religious brother.)
The famous missionary John Coleridge Patteson lived on Mota at the village of Veverao. The first Melanesian priest, Father George Sarawia was from Mota, and the first Christian baptisms and Eucharist and Confirmations were there, it is generally held to be the first island to become Christian, though missionary work began a year later than on Aneityum.
At the present time, the island is ruled by a council of chiefs elected from each village.
There is a school, Pasaleli Primary School, which formally was named Panel School. There is a dispensary where a nurse lives, access to teleradio and a public phone on the island.
There are small settlements of Mota people in Santo, especially at Lorevilko and Turtle Bay, and in Port Vila.
All Mota people are Christians, Anglicans of the Church of Melanesia. Custom is still very important to the islanders. The big days of celebration are the saints' days of the church in each village on the island.
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