Natural Crafts Oro

Numerous more or less accessible caves follow one another along the road towards the north. Their exploration requires an adequate equipment. The luxuriant vegetation around is magnificent, as well as the entrance of the site! It is here that Queen Hortense would have found refuge between 1855 and 1856, when the tribes were fighting for the succession. At the entrance, we can see a temple dedicated to her memory. You have to cross a small river by a slippery bridge and be careful not to fall. At the bottom, a slab would have served as a bed for the one who came to hide there. Kanedjio Vendegou was born around 1848 on the Isle of Pines. Daughter of the great chief, Kaoua Vendegou, although a woman, was able to speak out and help her father who accepted the protection of France in 1853. Kanedjio is baptized and becomes Hortense. An excellent student, she became the first Melanesian woman to read and write French. Thanks to an agreement with the administration, she obtained the protection of land for the Kuniés. Without any descendants, she joined the sisters after the death of her husband in 1872 and died in 1900. She is buried in Vao. Her portrait is still visible in many houses and cottages on the island. Her memory is still very much alive.

At 20 minutes by scooter from Kuto, the place is not difficult to find. Just go in the direction of Vao and follow the direction of Oro Bay. 9 kilometers straight ahead, you are there! Don't forget your flashlight!