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Tanna
Island
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.
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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.
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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 WWII, 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.
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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
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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. ... more ?
click here.. .
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