The Land-Diving Origin of Pentecost Island
On Pentecost Island in Vanuatu, the tradition of land-diving (naghol) originated from a legend about a woman named Tamalie who was mistreated by her husband. She fled into the forest and climbed a tall banyan tree. When her husband followed, she tied liana vines to her ankles and jumped, surviving the fall. Her husband, thinking he could do the same, jumped without the vines and died. The ritual evolved into a test of courage and a rite of passage for young men, who dive from tall wooden towers with vines tied to their ankles, their hair brushing the earth. The land-diving ceremony is performe