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Kanak population would be around 100.000 and there are about thirty  (28) main Kanak languages, plus a lot of dialects.
POPULATION. 245,580 inhabitants were enumerated in 2009 and 274,600 in 2016 (annual report) with a birth rate of 15,4 against 11,5 in mainland France. Since the years 1980-1990, the increase of the population slows, but remains supported with 1.7% of inhabitants more per year between 1996 and 2009. - Birth rate (‰ inhabitants) 15,4 against 11,5 in Metropolitan France - Density of population (hab / km², 2015) 14.8 against 119.2 in mainland France. The population is growing strongly in the South Nouméa province, which totals more than 2/3 of the total population, and is moderately strong in the North Province (+ 0.7%). On the other hand, the Loyalty Islands would lose inhabitants (info 2004!). The large Nouméa alone has about 180,000 inhabitants (2018 evaluation). The big Nouméa includes the neighboring commune or in addition Mont Dore, Dumbéa and Païta.

Two out of three inhabitants of New Caledonia live in Greater Nouméa. Three out of four are born in New Caledonia. Two out of five belong to the Kanak community. It is in Noumea, single town of New Caledonia, where are concentrated the various ethnos groups of the country. The Asian ones at the beginning were especially represented by indonesians and Vietnamese, whereas the Chinese, “imported” at the origin for their labour, are installed in Polynesia (Tahiti). The kanaks are present in Noumea and especially in the immediate environment where conflicts of territory sometimes oppose them to Wallisian, well represented (they are Polynesians). The kanaks are very mainly everywhere else, on the main land and islands they control totally. “Whites”, of European origin are primarily represented by French, but also by English because they had taken possession of the country before. .
See also Population and Feasts


the museum of Noumea

Huts, top hut spires, case entry frames, masks, sculptures, petroglyphes, both Kanak and Asmat civilisation etc..

Ancestor mast from Irian Jaya (West New Guinea, Asmat tribe). The Asmat, cannibal until 1960 were conquered by the Dutch and the Muslims of Indonesia, then were repressed and decimated, obliged to give up, as everywhere, their culture and rituals. Their rites were re-allowed thereafter. Some of this tribe now carved for tourists, but rather live miserably without the support and care, far from what allowed them before to produce food. Others still live in fairly large huts built at the tree tops. Ancestor mast : previously, each sculpted head represented an ancestor, and it was advised to care it, because their minds could take revenge by misfortune and disease.

Poterie Lapita, whose name come from the spot of discovery (New Caledonie).

The tapa Under various forms, the Caledonian "tapa" is common in many tribal cultures of the world. It is made with bark, or better I believe, with the layer under the bark, leaves or fibers of different origins. hammered without being pulped, until obtaining a good cohesion and adequate thinning, and then dried. The texture is that of a thin cardboard, flexible enough to be rolled, and comparable to a rustic parchment. The tapa is used as panels for walls, decorated with symbolic designs and features. It was also used for making ornaments and clothes, but very stiff and not very elegant, it was abandoned after the introduction of the occidental fabric.
Ropes are handcrafted by crushing and kneading coconuts fibre, or cactus ones, etc. 

see also " tribes"

Chief Hut Entry

For Kanak of New Caledonia, the aboriginaltraditional oven consists of pre-heated stones buried in the soil. It is a big job, chopping wood, digging a large hole in the ground, preparing the fire, which should make heating stones, wraping the food in packages. It usually begins the day before. Succulent when prepared in the rules, the food is different and juicy. A personal memory of Ouvéa, in an inauguration, which I measure long after, the importance. See also "bougna" in "WORDS". This method of cooking was widespread and it is still used in some parts of the world, as in Irian Jaya (New Guinea west) Right hand picture, in a tree dwelling. Hot stones avoid aliments to be dried and keep the juice. hutis big enough for the three or four women to have a corner for them. Climbing up there is not easy. Last "scale" is a mere pole with simple cuts.

This cooking is back in our "civilized" countries, with the use of beautiful electric stones plates, put on the table. It is much more simpler to cook on meat or crustaceous !



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