I have just
returned from the island of Pentecost for the nangol (land-diving), a rite of
passage in which young boys climb onto a tower with vines tied around their
ankles and dive, similar to bungee jumping. Boys are kept in a nakamal for a
week and forbidden to eat certain foods before hand. They are also trained to
dive. It is a rite of passage into adulthood. It is inspired by a kastom, and
some would say misogynistic, legend in which a woman was being chased from a
man attempting to rape her. She tied a vine to her feet and jumped off a cliff.
The man chased her off the cliff and fell to his death, while she survived.
Supposedly, the nangol represents the men now outsmarting the woman. The most
beautiful aspect of the nangol, however, is the kastom singing from the
language of South Pentecost that accompanies the diving. Men shift back and
forth while singing the song while boys jump from different levels of the
tower. It is a unique cultural tradition practiced only on Pentecost Island.
No comments:
Post a Comment