Tanna
— a volcano you can walk up to, still breathing.
Not only on a wall.
“A volcanic island in Vanuatu's southern province of Tafea, in the South Pacific. The mountain at its centre, Mount Yasur, has been erupting continuously for centuries, one of the most accessible active volcanoes on earth. Around its base the kastom villages keep older Pacific traditions, and on the east coast a small movement still waits for John Frum. from the studio
Tanna, on ceramic.
Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.
Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.
The place, in three passes.
Tanna is an island about 40 km north-to-south in Tafea Province, the southernmost province of Vanuatu, in the South Pacific. The land is volcanic and fertile, with rainforest, black-ash beaches, and coffee plantations on the high inland plateau. The main settlement, Lenakel, sits on the west coast; the island's population is around 30,000, the great majority living in kastom villages that maintain pre-colonial Melanesian custom. Port Vila on Efate, the national capital, lies about 200 km to the north.
Mount Yasur, on the east of the island, rises to about 361 m and has been in near-continuous eruption since Captain Cook recorded its glow in 1774. The crater is one of the most accessible active volcanoes anywhere: a graded road and a short walk bring visitors to the rim, where Strombolian bursts throw lava bombs above the lip every few minutes. Activity is rated daily by the Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory; the volcano is closed at the higher alert levels. The black ash plain at its foot is a recognised sacred site.
Most visitors arrive by light aircraft from Port Vila to Whitegrass Airport on the island's west side; the flight is under an hour. From there, four-wheel-drive transfers cross the island to Yasur. Lodges and bungalows operate on both coasts, many run by the kastom villages themselves. The volcano is best at dusk, when the lava reads strongest against the dark sky. Tropical clothing, sturdy shoes, and a torch are the usual call. Village protocol asks visitors to follow the assigned local guides.