Captain James Cook was the first European to come
to Tanna in August 1774, after seeing the glowing light of the
volcano in the sky. The HMS Resolution landed in a small bay,
which he named Port Resolution. Cook requested permission to climb
the volcano, but because of the traditional tabu on the volcano,
was refused.
As common throughout the islands, the 19th century was an era
of trading, fighting and killing. Missionaries seemed to have
a particularly hard time of it and frequently ended in the cooking
pot. Today, the 20,000 odd inhabitants of the island have retained
much of their original custom and culture, with one peculiar
exception.
Tanna is also home to the John Frums. Although Cargo cults
are prevalent throughout the South Pacific, the beliefs here
have carried forward into the modern world - members have even
been elected to Parliament. On Friday evenings the John Frums
hold their weekly ceremonies and all are most welcome to join
in. It's certainly an eye opener, seeing an entire culture base
its belief system around the Gods living in the U.S.A. who are
responsible for the 'magical' appearance of such goods as radios
and jeeps, fridges and just about every other manufactured item
that cannot be fashioned from the jungle or the sea. The movement
supposedly emerged during World War II, although John seems
to have been around in one form or another prior to then. But
WWII and the generosity of the American soldiers, with their
abundance of goodies that only needed to be 'requesitioned'
from the great maker in the U.S.A., solidified the Cult. The
Red Cross, a symbol for medical aid, remains an emblem for the
John Frum cult.
Dances and custom ceremonies for the more traditional side
of Tannese culture are held throughout the year. The Nekowiar
or Toka ceremony is generally the largest and most impressive.
The festival lasts three days and three nights, non stop. It
is a combination gift giving and grade taking ceremony whereby
a chief calls in his loyal followers to host the Toka. The village
then joinly give the gift of pigs, mats, baskets, songs and
dances to another village who hosted them during a previous
Toka. It's a complicated society where the more one gives, the
larger the status acquired.
