Around 500 rare audio tapes containing custom stories and traditional songs from Vanuatu are now being digitized—making them accessible via computer and phone for the first time.

Long-time Museum volunteer and linguist, Nick Thieberger, says he’s proud to support the work. Mr. Thieberger, an Associate Professor at the School of Languages and Linguistics at the University of Melbourne, has worked with the Vanuatu Cultural Centre since the 1990s.

“We’re in 2025 now, and it’s urgent to preserve these tapes. The tropical weather affects storage conditions—sometimes the air conditioning works, sometimes it doesn’t. The magnetic layer on the tapes can peel off, so digitizing them is essential,” he told VBTC News.

Director of the Vanuatu Cultural Centre, Richard Shing, expressed gratitude for the decades of volunteer work Thieberger has contributed to Vanuatu’s cultural preservation.

“For over 20 years, he’s helped digitize gazettes and other records. But the majority of our materials are still in the old format. Now, we’re finally moving forward with digitizing our cultural recordings,” Mr. Shing said.

VBTC News understands that the Cultural Centre holds nearly 5,000 audio tapes documenting Vanuatu’s history—many of which still need to be digitized.

This digitization project will ensure that future generations can easily access, learn from, and celebrate the rich oral traditions and knowledge of Vanuatu through modern technology.