Ambrym has one of Vanuatu's strongest traditions of sand drawing — a complex system of geometric patterns traced in the sand in a single continuous line, without the finger ever leaving the surface. The drawings encode mythology, genealogy, territorial claims, and ritual knowledge, and the tradition spans the island and several neighbouring islands.
The drawings range from simple everyday patterns to complex, interlocking designs of great sophistication. Some patterns are public; others are restricted to initiated men of certain ranks in the custom society (nakamal) and cannot be shown to outsiders. Watching a practitioner work — the speed and precision of a single unbroken line resolving into a symmetrical pattern — is genuinely impressive.
Visitors can see sand drawing demonstrated in villages across the island. A small fee is appropriate and expected. The drawings also appear as carvings on objects available for purchase; the quality and authenticity vary.