What existed in precolonial Vanuatu was – and still is – oral literature, in the form of folk tales, myths, legends, sung poetry... transmitted by word of mouth across generations.
[1][2] Writing and literacy were introduced by missionaries and formal schools from the colonial period; the idea of using this technology for artistic purposes emerged late, and has been mostly restricted to urban social circles influenced by Western practices.
In 2007, francophone singer-songwriter, musician and author Marcel Melthérorong (fr) published the first ever novel written by a Vanuatuan, through the Alliance Française: Tôghàn.
The group writes and performs plays, in English and in Bislama, addressing educational topics such as "malaria and AIDS prevention, hurricane preparedness and domestic violence".
[6][3][7] The theatre describes itself as using "drama to inform, raise awareness and encourage public discussion on a range of contemporary health, lifestyle, environment and governance issues".