Get to know Land Diving, an extreme ritual in Vanuatu that is similar to bungee jumping

Bungee jumping is an extreme activity where players will jump from a height with their feet tied to a safety rope, then the rope will bounce until the reflective power runs out. To the layperson, this activity may seem stressful. However, this does not apply to men in Vanuatu. The thing is, they have extreme rituals that have a similar concept bungee jumping.

Is land diving or in local language it is called Naghol. This ritual originates from Pentecost Island, Vanuatu. The men there would climb 30-meter-high, rickety towers, tie their legs together with vines, and jump to the ground at speeds of around 45 mph. Different from bungee jumping, land diving doesn’t give a rebound effect to the player. If land diving If done correctly, the player’s shoulders or head will touch the ground correctly. Otherwise, failure land diving can pose a risk of injury or even death.

So that you are not curious, read the complete explanation about land diving Next, Superfriends.

The Origins of Land Diving on Pentecost Island, Vanuatu

Land diving The background is a legendary story about the life of a husband and wife on Pentecost Island. At that time, a wife tried to escape from her cruel husband. The wife also climbed the tree. Unexpectedly, her husband followed her. The wife immediately jumped from the tree. Her husband also jumped. Unfortunately, he died when he fell to the ground. On the other hand, the wife survived because her husband didn’t know that his wife had tied vines around her ankles before jumping, so she just fell hanging.

From this legendary story, men also learn to jump from trees so they don’t suffer the same fate as the story of the poor husband. Uniquely, the women always gather and watch the action from under the tree. As time went by, this ritual developed and became a kind of event for men to prove their courage. Apart from that, the jumping place was moved to a tower made of wood.

Apart from the legendary story, there are also those who say that land diving This is done as a ritual so that the sweet potato harvest can be abundant. The night before the ritual, the man will be the player land diving would sleep under the tower to ward off evil spirits. In this ritual, supervised by village elders, a man will jump from a 30 meter high tower with both legs tied with vines. Before jumping, he can say anything as a final message.

When jumping, the player land diving You should cross your arms in front of your chest to prevent your arms from getting injured or broken. When approaching the ground, he should lower his head so that his shoulders touch the ground. After arriving at the ground, residents approached him to check on the player’s condition. If he survives, the residents will cheer for his success.

In the present, land diving often carried out by young men entering adulthood. They do it too land diving to attract girls or just looking for fun. Even though it is free to do, the elders of Pentecost Island forbid foreigners from trying this action.

Become a Tourist Attraction

Starting from a ritual there, land diving It has also developed into a tourist attraction on Pentecost Island. This event is usually held from April to June. Before land diving Starting, tourists can enjoy traditional performances and folk parties typical of Pentecost Island. When the village elders announce that the jumping tower is ready, spectators can gather around the tower.

That was a bit of an explanation about land diving or Naghol ritual. Interested traveling go to Pentecost Island and watch it the event live, Superfriends? (arpd)