Vanuu (from Sowa van uu "under the noise"), also known as Waterfall Village , is a large settlement on the southwestern coast of Pentecost Island in Vanuatu . The village consists of several scattered groups of houses within an ageing coconut plantation.
31-501: Vanuu is located on Pentecost's main north-south road, about 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) north of Lonorore Airport and about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of Melsisi . Vanuu has a Churches of Christ church, a nakamal , small stores, and a guesthouse. Children from Vanuu attend the Anglophone primary school at Ranmawot, 2 km away. Ranwadi High School is also nearby. The large waterfall and associated natural swimming pool behind
62-401: A dive, other villagers rush in and take care of the diver. For boys, land diving is a rite of passage . After circumcision at the age of around seven to eight, they can participate in the ritual. When a boy is ready to become a man, he land dives in the presence of his elders. His mother holds a favourite childhood item, for example, a piece of cloth. After completing the dive, the item
93-548: A land dive performance for the French resident commissioner. During the demonstration, the villagers sang a chant in Sa, incomprehensible to the resident commissioner, which noted the irony that the white resident commissioner thought he was strong, whereas it was the native men who were jumping from the towers. In 1974, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain visited Vanuatu and observed the spectacle. The British colonial administration wanted
124-450: A source of income. The language and culture of the Vanuu area were historically intermediate between those of Central Pentecost and of South Pentecost, although the influence of the former predominates today. The area's original language was Sowa , but depopulation in the 20th century led to the extinction of this language. Today Apma (the original language of Central Pentecost to the north)
155-528: A village elder and matched with each jumper's weight without any mechanical calculations. The vines need to be supple, elastic, and full of sap in order to be safe. The ends of the vines are shredded to allow the fibres to be looped around the ankles of the jumpers. If the vine is too long, the diver can hit the ground hard, but if the vine is too short, then the diver can collide with the tower. Before these men dive, they often bring closure to unsettled business and disputes in case they die. The night before
186-439: Is made from a lopped tree, and a pole scaffolding tied together with vines stabilizing it. Several platforms come out about two meters from the front of the tower, supported by several struts . The lowest platform is around 10 meters, and the highest platform is near the top. During the jump, the platform supports snap, causing the platform to hinge downward and absorb some of the force from falling. The vines are selected by
217-420: Is significant because tower construction is best done during the dry season . Also, the lianas have the best elasticity during this time. During the period of preparation for nanggol, the men seclude themselves from the women and refrain from sex. Furthermore, women are not allowed to go near the tower or else Tamalie, who lives in the tower, may seek vengeance, leading to the death of a diver. Additionally,
248-613: Is the village's main language, though village chief Isaiah Tabi Vahka is at the forefront of efforts to document and revive Sowa. The national language Bislama is also spoken, and the village is home to a number of Ske speakers due to intermarriage with the Baravet community to the south. English is also spoken by educated villagers. This Vanuatu location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Lonorore Airport Lonorore Airport ( IATA : LNE , ICAO : NVSO ) or Lonoror (possibly from Ske lon or or "in
279-434: Is thrown away, demonstrating that the boy has become a man. In the mid-nineteenth century, missionaries came to the area and persuaded the natives to stop land diving. In the 1970s, anti-colonialism caused land diving to be seen in a new light as way to demonstrate their cultural identity . After the independence from colonial powers in 1980, the ritual was revived by Christian locals from neighbouring areas. In 1995,
310-450: The bwahri or warrior. The men who do not choose to dive or back out of diving are humiliated as cowards. In the Sa language, gol refers to both the tower and the land dive. The tower symbolically represents a body, with a head, shoulders, breasts, belly, genitals, and knees. The diving platforms represent the penises and the struts beneath represent the vaginas. The time of yam harvest
341-593: The Queen to have an interesting tour, and convinced the Anglican villagers of the Melanesian Mission at Point Cross to perform a jump. However, the vines were not elastic enough because it was the wrong season, the middle of the wet season. One diver had both lianas broken, broke his back from falling, and later died in a hospital. Kal Müller, a journalist, is the first white man to land dive. Müller waited two years for
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#1732854622429372-413: The ceremony. The flat coastal strip on which Vanuu is built was historically uninhabited and covered with dense cottonwood ( burao ) trees. The area suffered drastic depopulation in the late 19th and early 20th century following the introduction of European diseases. The present village was founded in the early-mid 20th century by men from other areas of Pentecost, who established a coconut plantation for
403-447: The dive is the greatest experienced in the non- industrialized world by humans. The Bislama word nanggol comes from the Saa term gol , with the prefixed article na- typical of the indigenous languages of Vanuatu . The origin of land diving is described in a legend of a woman who was dissatisfied with her husband, Tamalie (or some variation of the name). It is sometimes claimed that
434-469: The fences") is an airport on south-western Pentecost Island , Vanuatu , 3 km south of Baravet village. Lonorore began as a grass airstrip, capable of accommodating 20-seater Twin Otter aircraft in good conditions, although it was frequently unusable due to waterlogging in wet weather. The airport is in the middle of an old coconut plantation, and was first built as a private airstrip in colonial times by
465-462: The jump, divers sleep beneath the tower to ward off evil spirits . Though the majority of the islanders are Christian, they also adhere to the ancient beliefs. Before dawn on the day of the ceremony, the men undergo a ritual wash, anoint coconut oil on themselves, and decorate their bodies. The males wear boar tusks around their necks. The men wear traditional nambas , and the women wear traditional grass dresses and are bare-breasted . Only
496-458: The jump, the more bountiful the harvest. Before diving, the jumper can give speeches, sing songs, and make pantomimes . The diver crosses his arms over his chest to help prevent injury to the arms. The head is tucked in so his shoulders can contact the ground. Therefore, the divers risk a number of injuries, such as a broken neck or a concussion . During the dive, the jumper can reach speeds of around 45 mph (72 km/h). Right after
527-565: The local Saa language as Gol and in Bislama as Nanggol ) is a ritual performed by the men of the southern part of Pentecost Island , Vanuatu . Men jump off wooden towers around 20 to 30 meters (66 to 98 ft) high, with two tree vines wrapped around the ankles. The tradition has developed into a tourist attraction. According to the Guinness World Records , the g-force experienced by those at their lowest point in
558-554: The lowest bar after the natives agreed that it was a legitimate land dive. Land diving has become a tourist attraction for the villagers. The tourism aspect of land diving has come with some debate, such as maintaining the custom's integrity while gaining attention. To prevent commercialization of land diving, a tourism council that handles the tourists and presentation was formed by the chiefs. The tourism office works with tour companies and provides revenue by bringing in foreigners. The local control and government support maintain
589-403: The men are allowed to dive, but the dancing women provide mental support. Around 10 to 20 men in a village will jump. The ritual begins with the least experienced jumpers on the lower platforms and ends with the most experienced jumpers on the upper platforms. The ideal jump is high with the jumper landing close to the ground. The goal is to brush the shoulders against the ground. The higher
620-405: The men must not wear any lucky charms during the dive. The construction of the tower typically takes between two and five weeks. Around twenty to thirty men help construct it. The men cut trees to construct the body, clear a site for the tower, and remove rocks from the soil. The soil is tilled to soften the ground. The wood is freshly cut, so that it can remain strong. The core of the tower
651-402: The months of April, May, or June. A good dive helps ensure a bountiful yam harvest. The villagers believe land diving can enhance the health and strength of the divers. A successful dive can remove the illnesses and physical problems associated with the wet season . Furthermore, land diving is considered as an expression of masculinity , as it demonstrates boldness that was associated with
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#1732854622429682-408: The original woman who did it, but husbands were not comfortable with seeing their wives in such positions, so they took the sport for themselves, and it gradually changed from trees to specifically designed wooden towers. The men performed the original land diving so that they would not be tricked again. The land diving ritual is associated with the annual yam harvest . It is performed annually in
713-425: The other being Sara in the north. Lonorore is a long distance from Sara by road, but is occasionally used as an alternative airport by passengers from northern Pentecost when Sara is closed due to adverse weather or volcanic ashfall, as Sara is more vulnerable to these disruptions than Lonorore. [REDACTED] Media related to Lonorore Airport at Wikimedia Commons Land-diving Land diving (known in
744-500: The people of Pentecost Island, with the support of Vanuatu's attorney-general , declared that they would endeavor to get royalties from bungee jumping enterprises because they viewed the tradition as stolen. In 1952, a land dive was performed for a French resident commissioner . British and French troops attacked some villages based on the rumor of a developing cargo cult . Several older men were arrested, though their sons offered to take their place. The men were let go in return for
775-539: The plantation owner. The airport was upgraded in 2008–2009 with a longer, tarmacked runway capable of operating in most weather conditions and being used by larger ATR aircraft, though in practice the airport is still serviced only by Twin Otters, together with Islanders and small charter planes. Lonorore is used for Air Vanuatu domestic flights to Port Vila and Santo , sometimes via Ambae . Schedules change regularly but there are typically flights on two or three days of
806-442: The production of copra (though this is no longer productive today). Many of their grandchildren (Vanuu's present inhabitants) retain ties to their ancestral villages. Most villagers maintain gardens in the mountains above Vanuu, growing vegetables such as taro for local consumption and earning income from cash crops such as kava . Fees paid by visitors to the waterfall, and earnings from other tourist-related activities, are also
837-466: The ritual's authenticity , while encouraging promotion. In 1982, tourists paid 35 pounds per person to watch the event. Tourists watching the land-diving today typically pay 10,000–12,000 vatu per person (around $ 100–120). Though it was an annual event, land diving now occurs weekly from April to June because of its profitability . Some tourists want to try land diving themselves, but are often denied for fear of safety. In 2006, commercial filming of
868-435: The village, and the presence of good anchorage for yachts, make Vanuu a popular destination for visitors to Pentecost Island. The waterfall behind Vanuu is one of seven major falls along the river; the others are located high in the bush. There is also a limestone cave nearby. Although Vanuu is not located within the area in which land diving is practised, it is sometimes used as a base by tourists who visit Pentecost to witness
899-610: The villagers of Bunlap to invite him to jump. Before the jump, he spent seven months with the villagers. His experiences were recounted in the December 1970 edition of National Geographic Magazine , Land Diving With the Pentecost Islanders . Karl Pilkington was supposed to jump from the highest bar for his television program, An Idiot Abroad , as he had refused to bungee jump in New Zealand . However, he jumped only from
930-401: The week. Between April and June the airport caters for significant numbers of day trippers from Port Vila who come to watch the weekly land-diving ceremonies. Near the airport is a small post office (currently defunct) and an aid post. On flight days, women often set up markets near the airport, selling homegrown vegetables and homecooked food. Lonorore is one of two airports on Pentecost,
961-408: The woman was upset that her husband was too vigorous regarding his sexual wants, so she ran away into the forest. Her husband followed her, so she climbed a banyan tree. Tamalie climbed after her, and so she tied lianas to her ankles and jumped and survived. Her husband jumped after her, but did not tie lianas to himself, which caused him to plummet and die. Originally, women did it in respect to