Legend has it that the tradition of Land Diving began when a woman famously climbed a tree to escape her abusive husband. Wanting her to climb down she refused and jumped, having tied herself to the tree she survived the fall whilst her husband perished. So now local men participate in land diving as show of strength and that they can not be tricked again. Traditionally the festival would coincide with the planting of yam crops as a fertility festival because the tower takes five weeks to build and complete. However in recent years the event has become somewhat of a tourist attraction and is performed more frequently.
Naghol Vine Diving
Between April and June on a Saturday the men of the village gather to participate in land diving or Naghol as it is traditionally known. In the centre of the village there is a clearing where a tower is erected standing about 20-30 meters tall made of vines and wood. A patch of land is tilled so that jumpers have a soft landing zone. There are a series of platforms where jumpers make attempts to jump, the smaller platforms reserved for younger men. The ceremony takes about two hours to complete, as two out of every four jumpers don’t complete the jump and most take about twenty mins to get themselves into a trance like state to make the jump. It’s pretty hot sitting in the sun watching the event so be prepared to sweat it out. Try to find a bit of shade if you can as it does get unbearable at times.
The land diving is an impressive site as the whole community get involved, chanting and dancing making the ground thud and shake. As the jumper prepares to take the leap he is egged on by the entire tribe to encourage him and it really is quite awe inspiring. Watching the men plummet to the Earth makes you want to hold your breath but there are catchers at the bottom to make sure there are no mishaps. It is considered good luck for the jumpers head to touch the ground as it will bring luck to the harvest.
Getting there
Situated about 190 km from Port Vila and there are two ways that you can get there. Boat is a lot slower and will take several hours but a flight will only take 55 mins. it’s probably best to just do a day trip or an overnight stay as the island is still fairly untouched and fairly under developed. There is only one convenience store on the island so try to pack essentials like water, sun-cream, and towels and necessities.
Accommodation
Guest houses in Southern Pentecost are very busy during the land diving season from April to June. All services on the island are payable by cash in Vatu, so ensure you bring enough cash with you. There is no ATM on the Island and you’re looking at about $5 AUD for a bottle of water. Most housing is traditional thatch housing so do expect to be sleeping on the ground. It’s fairly hot and humid so blankets are optional.
Staying Safe
There are areas of the Island that are restricted to tourists and if you go beyond the boundaries then locals will tell you. Make sure you adhere to any warnings or requests the locals make to not venture beyond these boundaries to give the locals respect. There have also been cases of the Zika Virus in Vanuatu. To ensure that you are protected use mosquito repellent and try to wear longer clothing if possible. The virus usually presents itself 1-2 days after being bitten. A rash that resembles sunburn and a high fever are usually the tell tale signs that the virus is present in your system. There is no known cure or prevention for the virus and its only an issue for pregnant females, potentially.
What to capture:
The locals are fascinating and street photography is really fun - you can spend a whole day just shooting character portraits. For me the children are so interesting as all of them looked so serious. I recommend just finding an out of the way place and capturing candid shots of the locals.
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