Land diving
The Liane Springer of Pentecost belong to the people of Sa and considered as indirect inventor of the modern bungee jumping. Every year from April to June they throw themselves on the island belonging to Vanuatu Pentecost of high diving boards in the deep, only secured by lianas. The Sa belong culturally and phenotypically to the Melanesians.
Designations
The jumping is generally known under the name " Naghol " today. Naghol is a Bislama word and thus is actually a misnomer. In the language of Sa itself is called the event gol and probably derives from kolan ( "Game") from.
The jump tower called Tarbe (or tarbegol ), which literally means " the body ( Tarbe ) of the game ( gol )" or " the body of the toy ."
The various sections of the tower are as named body parts of the people. Looking at the tower from the front, one sees a plurality of mutually staggered levels of diving boards, where appropriate body areas are assigned: feet, knees, abdomen, chest, nipple, upper chest, under the arms, throat, shoulder, head. The sides of the tower is called si gol ( " the sides of the game " ), the four corners sin Teban ( " tied together corners " ), the back alu gol ( " the back of the game" ), the interior of the tower lon te gol ( "inside the game "). The springboard is called ba gol ( "Fruit of the game" ). The mean, the biggest springboard supporting three bracings at gol abri means wichin ( "penis" ), the two outer called sinbwel ankennen ( " labia ").
History
One myth says that a young woman from Pentecost was pursued by her jealous husband. Desperate, she climbed a high tree, but he followed her until she reached the top, and there he was close on her heels, she jumped into the deep - in the supposedly safe death. When her husband saw this, he jumped after her, because he did not want to live without it. The woman, however, had deceived him and quickly tied vines around her ankles. While her husband died, she saved this lianas.
Expiration
Several weeks before the date of actual jumping a 15 to a maximum of 30 meter high wooden tower is erected. Backbone of the tower forms a tree, usually a coconut palm, which is exempt from all branches or fronds. The branches of the tower are connected by lianas and soft tapped strips of bark. To improve the stability of the structure in addition lianas are excited to surrounding trees. During the construction of the tower no women allowed to watch or participate. The day before the jump attach the Springer their platforms in the tower. It is by no means true that the younger men jump exclusively from the bottom and the older men exclusively from above. A specified sequence does not exist here.
In the days just before the jump Springer prepare their two lianas whose thickness is measured by the weight of the jumper. Only the lower forty centimeters are frayed just before the jump, so that the fibers can bind to the ankle better.
On the day of the jump and the women are present. Participants are cheered by song and rhythmic pounding. The Springer climb then their platforms and tie the vines to this and to his ankles firmly. The participant with the lowest jump height start, and graduation level of the participants from the highest platform jumping out of a maximum of 30 meters.
The claim that Springer would jump at the end of the pitch as possible with the head on the ground, has indeed been raised time and again, but not used and is rejected by the Sat itself.
Sense
One finds - from an article by Irving and Electa Johnson in an article for National Geographic ( 1955) - evidence that the jumps are to guarantee a rich yam harvest and also form an initiation ritual for young men. These statements are contradicted clear and well-founded, among others, by Thorolf Lipp (see literature).
Against an initiation ritual speak several aspects: It not just jump young men in typical initiation age, but also older men, then is a participation in the jump no obligation, and no social disadvantages for those who are observed that are not cracked.
Lipp notes in the final word of his study is that it is jumping to a " risky spectacle" is, is shown at the masculinity and offers the participants opportunities for social advancement. In more recent times, the economic aspect of the Gol - tourism is added. For further interpretations must be made to the literature.
Tourism
At least since the 1950s, there Gol - tourism, today. Especially from May to June on the more accessible western side of the island of Pentecost The Gol is no longer authentic but largely folklorisiert and economized. There are demands for professional film crews entrance fees of 100 euros for simple spectators and up to 10,000 euros.