Lorevilko is a village in northeast

Espiritu Santo Espiritu Santo (, ; ) is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of and a population of around 40,000 according to the 2009 census. Geography The island belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region o ...

Sanma Province Sanma is a province located in the Northern part of the nation of Vanuatu, occupying the nation's largest island, Espiritu Santo, which is located approximately 2,500 km northeast of Sydney, Australia. The name Sanma is derived from the init ...

Vanuatu Vanuatu ( or ; ), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (french: link=no, République de Vanuatu; bi, Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is east of no ...

. The name comes from the East Santo language and means "wild

kava Kava or kava kava (''Piper methysticum'': Latin 'pepper' and Latinized Greek 'intoxicating') is a crop of the Pacific Islands. The name ''kava'' is from Tongan and Marquesan, meaning 'bitter'; other names for kava include ''ʻawa'' (Hawaiʻi), ...

". The village is in a

rain shadow A rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side. Evaporated moisture from water bodies (such as oceans and large lakes) is carrie ...

, making it a relatively dry place with little

malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...

, and little water. In 2005, the British High Commission donated several water tanks to help the villagers have enough water to drink.

Population

The land is the ancestral land of the late chief Hinge. His five sons have established villages in the area, which is between Sara and

Hog Harbour Hog Harbour is a village in the island of Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu. It is located in northeast Santo, in close proximity to Port Olry village. History The village is a strong base of Presbyterian Church. In 1897, Dr Bowie, who was then a Scot ...

. Tremendous growth has come about in the last few years because of Chief Silas Hinge, son of Hinge. Chief Silas has encouraged settlement of the land by Banks Islanders, especially from the island of Mota. The newcomers from the Banks Islands and the natives from East Santo live in harmony, working together for the good of the community.

Religion

Since conversion to Christianity, most inhabitants of Lorevilko had been

Roman Catholics The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, and there is a Catholic church in the village. Since the late 1990s, however, the

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

Church of Melanesia has seen phenomenal growth in the village. The Anglicans have established a primary and secondary school in the village. Lorevilko is also a major gathering place for voters in national and provincial elections, and the site for ordinations, including the ceremony for the only American to be ordained a priest in Vanuatu. There is also a household of the

Melanesian Brotherhood The Melanesian Brotherhood is an Anglican religious community of men in simple vows based primarily in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea. History The Melanesian Brotherhood was formed in 1925 by Ini Kopuria, a policeman from M ...

in the village. People from surrounding areas often come to Lorevilko to enjoy the rural beauty of its bamboo houses, the vibrance of its custom dances, the richness of its mingled cultures.

References

Populated places in Vanuatu Sanma Province {{Vanuatu-geo-stub