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Copyright (c) 2008 Wendy Tendys

Tradition, myths from ancient times and death defying leaps are all part of the ancient birthplace of extreme sport. The most spectacularly frightening religious ceremony is repeated every year. Crowds stood in silent awe as the 75′ fragile looking tower collapsed, taking everyone on it to the ground.

It is one of the world’s most spectacularly frightening religious ceremonies, on Vanuatu’s Pentecost island, the land dive. The home and ancient birthplace of extreme sport and the pre-runner of all modern bungee jumping.

Perhaps it is just secret women’s business, or just legend from the mysterious myths of ancient times, but it is whispered that the first land diver was a woman. In a desperate bid to escape her husband’s abuse she tied a vine to her ankle and dived off the top of a tree. She survived. Not to be outdone by a woman, her husband dived after her without the aid of a vine. He died.

This turned to an ancient ceremony, celebrating the yam crop showing its first green tips in early April. At least one huge wooden tower is built in each of the southern villages of the island. Towers often reach as high as 23m (75ft).

This year, each Saturday from April to June, is to be a jump day, where the men of all ages will line up to take the plunge. Unfortunately it could be their last act on earth.

The islanders believe the jump is necessary to guarantee the bounty of the yam harvest. The divers’ back or shoulders must brush the tilled earth, in order to make the ground fruitful. Hopefully all rocks have been removed from the area.

It has now also become a ceremony to show the men’s acceptance into manhood. What a potential death jump proves of manhood, however, is beyond our civilized minds’ comprehension. Bearing in mind, the jump is now taboo to women.

Each man psyches himself to dive from the precarious looking platform, held only by two vines his friends have tied to his ankles. If there is too much moisture in the vines, the vines will stretch with fatal results. However, a participant died during a filming, when the Queen of England was present in 1974, because of an extremely dry season. The vines did not have enough elasticity ‘ they tore instead of stretching.

When he is ready to jump the diver raises his hands to the people below to stop their singing, dancing and whistling. Just before he jumps he shouts out his most intimate thoughts, whatever they may be. They may be his last words on earth, so it is time to let it all hang out.

He claps his hands, crosses his arms over his chest and leans forward until he topples over the edge of the platform.

Barely conscious, the diver is hastily aided to his feet as male relatives rush up to remove the vines from his ankles. The crowd roars its approval.

This year the platform collapsed before the first dive took place. Reasons: Were the holes dug deep enough into the ground to carry the weight of the climbers. Maybe there weren’t enough supporting vines at the back to keep the tower upright.

“What was the camera man doing climbing the tower, anyway?the local islanders ask.

This is the 21st century, yet tradition still has its place, rightly or wrongly. Haven’t they heard of workplace safety? Short answer. NO! It does not exist in places like the outer islands of Vanuatu.

Neither does free education in accordance with the Rights of the Child, as ratified by the General Assembly of the United Nations, 1989.

Many of the students will never have the opportunity to go to high school without outside assistance, though the males of Pentecost will annually make a death defying jump. These children will be left behind in the 21st century, with nothing but their traditional way of life. You can make a difference in these children’s lives and the lives of their village. Ancient traditions will not be challenged, but the children of this Lesser Developed Country, have the right to be given the opportunity to fulfill their own dreams and ambitions.