How to See the Naghol Ceremonies of Pentecost Island

Bungee jumping is mostly relegated to the industrialized world, but there is an island in the archipelago of Vanuatu where the indigenous people practiced the discipline long before AJ Hackett appropriated the custom in New Zealand.

Only men are allowed to perform the ritual on Pentecost Island, though according to Naghol legend a woman performed the first dive, fleeing from her aggressive husband by climbing a banyan tree. When he chased her, she tied vines around her feet and jumped off, surviving the fall by landing in the soft earth of the rainy season. The man also jumped, but didn’t tie anything and died, giving rise to this annual custom dedicated to a bountiful yam harvest.

Many come to Vanuatu with the intention of seeing the Naghol ceremonies. There are two airports on Pentecost, both of which offer rides to the nearby villages for around $30. You also have the option of getting to Pentecost on one of many cargo ships that navigate the archipelago. They take passengers, but don’t follow a schedule so you might have to wait.

When there, you will probably not be able to see one of the traditional villages perform the ceremony, but there are sites near Lonorore and Paangi that charge about $100 a visitor. Don’t question the authenticity. Pentecost’s tribal community knew about land diving’s commercial value and took great pains to keep the culture in their hands by working with the Vanuatu Tourism Board.