Vanuatu Diary #6: “bungee jumping” in Pentecost Island

Well, “land diving” to be precise, the precursor to bungee jumping (scoop: New Zealanders obviously didn’t invent it!) (As for the pavlova* and Russel Crowe, I’m not so sure).

In today’s modern western societies, males have of course developed very sophisticated and subtle approaches to manhood, but for the men of the southern part of Pentecost Island, Vanuatu, it’s an important masculinity ritual (and a rite of passage for boys as young at 7) as it demonstrates strength and boldness.

During this ritual – called Nagol or N’gol – which occurs every Saturday between April and June, men and boys jump off of wooden towers around 20 to 30 metres (66 to 98 ft) high, with only a vine wrapped around the ankles. Without any safety equipment or mechanical calculations… The least experienced jumpers start on the lower platforms and the ritual ends with the most experienced jumpers on the higher platforms.

A good dive not only demonstrates the masculinity and courage of the diver but it also ensures a bountiful yam harvest for the year, and removes the illnesses associated with the wet season.

There’s a nice legend that describes the origins of land diving:

“The awe inspiring ceremony celebrates the yam harvest and is a fertility rite for men. The story of the festival tells of a woman who ran away from her husband and hid in a tall tree. The husband, Tamale, begged her to say sorry and come down. She refused so he climbed the tree after her and as he reached the top she jumped. In his anguish Tamale jumped after her, only to realise that she had tied liana vines around her ankles. The woman survived while Tamale perished. To this day, men jump from the tower as a show of strength to women in the village and as a statement that they cannot be tricked again. When the vine stretches at the end of the dive the land divers head curls under their shoulders to touch the earth, making it fertile for the following year’s yam crop.” (According to Air Vanuatu Magazine).

And here is some GoPro footage of the last jump (the most impressive) by one of the most experienced divers in Pentecost so that you can hear the chanting, the loud cracking noise of the platforms wood breaking under the magnitude of the g-force and (almost) feel the ground vibrating under the dancers’ feet:

* For the non-Australian reader, the pavlova is a delicious meringue-based dessert, and an age old dispute between Australia and New Zealand.