Premium Featured Accommodation

Tanna Island in Vanuatu

Captain James Cook was the first European to come to Tanna in August 1774, after seeing the glowing light of the volcano in the sky. The HMS Resolution landed in a small bay, which he named Port Resolution. Cook requested permission to climb the volcano, but because of the traditional tabu on the volcano, was refused.

As common throughout the islands, the 19th century was an era of trading, fighting and killing. Missionaries seemed to have a particularly hard time of it and frequently ended in the cooking pot. Today, the 20,000 odd inhabitants of the island have retained much of their original custom and culture, with one peculiar exception.

Tanna is also home to the John Frums. Although Cargo cults are prevalent throughout the South Pacific, the beliefs here have carried forward into the modern world - members have even been elected to Parliament. On Friday evenings the John Frums hold their weekly ceremonies and all are most welcome to join in. It's certainly an eye opener, seeing an entire culture base its belief system around the Gods living in the U.S.A. who are responsible for the 'magical' appearance of such goods as radios and jeeps, fridges and just about every other manufactured item that cannot be fashioned from the jungle or the sea. The movement supposedly emerged during World War II, although John seems to have been around in one form or another prior to then. But WWII and the generosity of the American soldiers, with their abundance of goodies that only needed to be 'requesitioned' from the great maker in the U.S.A., solidified the Cult. The Red Cross, a symbol for medical aid, remains an emblem for the John Frum cult.

Dances and custom ceremonies for the more traditional side of Tannese culture are held throughout the year. The Nekowiar or Toka ceremony is generally the largest and most impressive. The festival lasts three days and three nights, non stop. It is a combination gift giving and grade taking ceremony whereby a chief calls in his loyal followers to host the Toka. The village then joinly give the gift of pigs, mats, baskets, songs and dances to another village who hosted them during a previous Toka. It's a complicated society where the more one gives, the larger the status acquired.

Articles