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Pacific Islands Monthly

The surprising Gospels of John Frum: He who swept sin away

Narrated by DON MARSH

Englishman Don Marsh has travelled much about the South Pacific as a shipwright, piledriver, sawyer and carpenter, and much of his time has been spent in the New Hebrides islands of Tanna and Aneityum, where there is still to be found a cargo cult called the John Frum movement.

On Tanna Don Marsh played music in the John Frum band and worked behind the counter of a trading post, where he first heard the stories of the cargo cult adherents and decided to put them on paper. The cult gospels begin with . . .

The Gospel According

To Basis

►Y trade, being recruited by a * sawmill I, Basis, am a lumber k, but am now also a weather )?het since the day I came face face with John Frum—god of the rgo Cult. [t so happened that I was recruited the island of Tanna to go south labour in Kraft’s sawmill at eityum. So happy was I to have ained employment after being so g idle in the village that I made way to the kava grounds to with the weather station f at Isangel. >n this day I was not drunk refore —l was on my way to get nk, I took a short cut to the kava und which took me past a big iyan tree. Usually in such a tree tig-foxes hang up in the daytime sleep, and many a time with my sket I have shot a whole row of d. So by habit I glanced among multitude of hanging roots when, and behold, an apparition took n among the tangle of roots and ;s * As my vision became clearer 'eheld a man—a very tall man i a very white skin. I observed : he was wearing a white sport’s :et done up with silver buttons, n his hair was white. So white the apparition that I had diffi y to keep my eyes open in order concentrate. efore I had time to flee in terror,

the white form spoke, saying: “Basis, I am about to make delivery to you of a big ice box, an outboard motor, a pair of pointed shoes, and a coil of barbed wire”.

I was amazed at the presents he was offering me for they were the very things I wanted most. The moment I was promised such a cargo I knew just who I had come face to face with; it was John Frum, god of the Cargo Cult, in person.

He spoke in a voice like the whine of a Hawaiian guitar, for I have heard such an instrument being played by an Englishman in George Bright’s Trading Post, but this voice was more musical.

My tongue could not move to form words to thank my god for his generosity, but he could see that he had made me happy for he said in a voice that still frightened me; “Basis, from this day on you shall be my weather phophet so that I shall always know just when it is safe enough to ship my cargo across the ocean from the United States, and whether it be more safe to unload at Lenakel or Port Resolution. And make sure it’s not raining on the day of my arrival or the cargo will get spoilt, for I shall be bringing much cake mixture. And, to aid you in your post as weather prophet, I hereby declare all the leaves of the trees on the island of Ambrym to be holy in your hands, and the source of magic for your spells, even to the sinking of the islands of your enemies.”

So saying he departed from view, just as I was about to request a" cargo of shin guards for playing football in safety. He did not go or disappear in the ordinary sense of the word; no, he opened his mouth wider and wider until he was com pletely swallowed up from view, and I saw him no more.

My heart rejoiced to know that I had been chosen to become a weather prophet. I had heard it said m the Presbyterian Church that many are called but few are chosen. I bounded into the kava ground with glee to where my companions were already gulping kava in much haste from coconut shells. Even though they were already half drunk they believed me when I told them I had actually seen John, who had declared me to be his Weather Prophet, and that I was sober at the time.

Throughout the night I was numbed with kava, not feeling the myriads of mosquitoes that feasted on me. When sober enough to stand I turned my face towards Aneityum, as a crusader setting out on his first mission to force conversions; for it now lay in my power by medium of the magic Ambrym leaves to con vince or terrorise the inhabitants of Aneityum to abandon the White Man’s religion and accept the more beneficial John of the Cargo Cult.

T STEPPED foot on the shores of Aneityum with misgivings, for the population was not pleased to see me, nor did I receive a welcome like the other workers. At first I thought

the fault lay with me for I did not look my best after being so seasick on the voyage over, but it was more than a mere pasty look.

For years they had heard tell of John Frum, but no man yet had had the courage to actually claim to have seen this god until I mentioned the vision 1 had witnessed. The ignorant masses laughed and tittered when I began to preach and promise cargo, and they sought ways to have me deported from their midst.

Not in vain did they seek for a reasonable complaint, as wicked men always find excuses. I felt that some thing was amiss when the villagers did not issue me with a temporary wife as custom demands for a man brought to work on a strange island.

The other timber workers had been enjoying wives from the very first day. even those with boils, but I had been denied all comfort. When the launch brought the District Agent, and the council held their meeting, I beheld the reason why.

I had arrived in Aneityum with a running sore upon my chin. No European ointments or injections had been able to heal my affliction. False witch doctors came forth at the council meeting and charged me with being a carrier of venereal disease, and all were afraid to stand near me.

But the District Agent was a just man, and postponed my deportation until he returned on the next voyage with a mission doctor. Upon thorough examination that good doctor declared me clean. He did not know what it was I had but assured the council and false wit nesses that it definitely was not VD or yaws, for he could recognise VD with his eyes shut since he had cured so many Aneityumese of it on former visits. But having a running sore was not the only reason for wanting me deported, as I was about to learn.

Because the Aneityumese had broken age-old custom by not supply ing me with a wife—l stole one.

This act of defiance fired their anger, and set them all to persecute me. They put me in Coventry. At night even my wife’s voice faded to a murmer.

In my hour of loneliness I remembered John, for it was for his sake that I was being made a martyr.

It was a Sunday so I was not in the jungle chopping down kauri trees.

In the heat of the midday sun 1 wandered over to the beach at Anelgauhat, and there I built myself a cairn of coral slabs as sorcerers had done in days gone by.

I gathered leaves from the jungle, and with orchids I boiled the mixture in the whalers’ abandoned boiling down pots. After boiling, I took a soggy handful over to my cairn, where I squeezed the juice all over the stones and over myself, all the time calling upon John Frum to knock out the supports from under the island in order that it should sink beneath the waves to drown all my persecutors and also those not yet old enough to persecute.

I gazed out towards the tiny reef island of Inyeug, expecting it to dis appear first but, if anything, it stood out more boldly from the surround ing surf. I glanced at the ripples in the bay expecting them to advance right up the beach; but they came and went, came and went, until my shrill voice became hoarse calling upon John to halt their retreat.

The chief, who had watched my antics with derision, blew a summons on his conch shell which brought forward all the villagers to dance lewdly in front of me, and all the picanins to throw stones.

Then in a flash I saw what had gone wrong—instead of using the leaves of Ambrym as I had been instructed by John I had made use of local jungle leaves which held within them no magic powers. And so I addressed the raging multitude, saying: “Sinners, consider yourselves lucky I had no Ambrym leaves to squeeze or by now you would all be surely drowned”.

After the jeering had died down and my tormentors returned to their vices, a lone sympathiser approached during my hour of doubt. It was the mill owner’s sawyer—an English man with a Japanese wife. He stealthily approached just as soon as the tumult had died down to comfort me with words, saying: “Do not despair, Basis, old Johhnie Frum did not sink this island as you requested because he knows that you can not swim, for I’ve see you floundering in the fishing holes myself. Had Aneityum sunk —you would have sunk too, and it’s 90 miles to Tanna even if you could paddle across.

Next time you curse your enemies, first make sure you are standing in a canoe, and I am steering the towing launch. Make sure you have a paddle or you will drift over to New

Caledonia. Do this and Johnni Frum will obey you, and bless you spell in double-Dutch”.

I took the sawyer’s advice an fashioned a dug-out canoe with ou rigger. And I sent a message to th chief of Ambrym to send me dow a sack full of his deadly leaves fc John Frum’s sake that I may reveng myself upon this horde of ui believers.

I am now ready to sink Aneityun but a snag has occurred—a hurricar swept through the islands an destroyed the sawmill’s towir launch, so the sawyer is left wil no vessel for his survival and thei is not enough room in the canc with me. My employer, Kraft, hi got him to build a catamaran, s I will wait until it is launched befoi I squeeze any more juices over rr pile of coral slabs: then heaven he the infidels.

The Gospel According

To Nako

I, NAKO, copra drier, but Hij Priest since my ears were blessi by the voice of the god of the Carj Cult, do give this testimony.

It came to pass one Saturd: after I had refereed a soccer mat( at Isangel that I was wending n way down to Bob Paul’s store whi I heard a distinct ringing in my e< but more like the buzz of a home nest. I thought at first that ti ringing was due to a sharp blow had received on the side of my he: following a goal I disallowed f offside. By the time I had reach Lenakel the ringing was formii words so I stopped near the missi< water-well to listen.

At first I did not guess who < earth it was who wished to addn me in such a secretive way, but soon as I heard the sentences foi into Pidgin English—l knew. It w surely John Frum, god of the Car Cult. I recognised him before had even promised to ship me a cargo.

The voice spoke: “You, Nal have found favour in my eyes f you have never allowed a player score who was yards offside, n given a penalty to a team that w winning. Your whistle has becoi as a scourge to the fouler. Yo interpretation of an indirect free ki has always baffled both sides. F your honesty and impartiality sport I declare you to be my Hi Priest.

“Upon that cricket cap you i wearing you shall paint a red cro

id it shall be a sign for the Cargo ult. You shall erect a shrine at ing’s Cross and at other suitable oss-roads throughout this island st the same as the Catholics do on Fate. But upon my altar you shall ace a model aeroplane with two igines, no—four engines. And upon ch side of my aeroplane you shall ace torch batteries, for if any ipid infidel should ignorantly ask ►u why you are not using candles e same as the Catholics do you may iswer them thus: ‘John Frum is modern god, and his Cargo Cult is -to-date. Candles are a symbol of cadence and waste, old age and st glories; besides, they blow out len the wind is blowing’.

“And behind my shrine you will a red cross, and whosoever >ks upon this red cross and believes all not perish, but I shall declare n clean, and shall in due time send n a cargo of ice boxes, ping pong Us, bicycle clips and scout knives; i anything else he should care to : for.”

There was no one near the well to ar me so I cried aloud: “John, at I really want is a hurricane ip, a mosquito net, a sewing chine that is worked by the foot, in opener with a wheel on it like • Wilkins has got, lavatory paper ! white men use, and ...”

Jut before I could ask for any ig more, the voice interrupted: hn knows what you want before i actually want it. But to be the safe side, I will send you one everything we use in the United tes on the first ship I am sending.

I’ll call you a ‘Brother’; for you, •ther Nako, will build me a jetty Port Resolution for my ship to or to, and a warehouse which you . fill full of sandalwood and green il shell. And I shall want a punt case the harbour is too shallow my ship, forcing me to anchor side. Declare the volcano sacred, the lake below, for a :anologist is on his way to tamper i the crater.

Do all this and my ship will drop hor off Tanna, and you will be forever; never having to break n another coconut again to smoke ra for Bob Paul.” /hen John Frum had finished ring in my ears I was beside elf with glee, for it meant that Follower of the Cargo Cult would work again. How superior it > religion! I skipped on to Bob l’s store, and by his bake-house vealed to the Futuna girls what ears had heard, and because they .®d upon me with wonder I was u*ed to promote myself from

I bought each girl who believed me a one shilling lollipop, and I went on my way rejoicing. fFHE Englishman got to hear of A my promotion to Father, and being a soccer player himself, he approached me one day on the field at Isangel at half-time. His team was losing so he was not too happy.

He was an “odd ball” who called himself a Freethinker, and was curious to know all about John.

Firstly—how could I prove that John was the god of the Cargo Cult and not George Bright who pioneered the Trading Post?

Using the authority of my high rank and inspired by the voice I had heard, I replied: “Our god can only be John alone for all his cargo is free, yet every trader on Tanna makes it his life’s purpose to end up with a profit”.

My wisdom overwhelmed him and prompted him to inquire further: “Why have you chosen red for your colour and not purple? You will surely have the Communists com plaining”.

This Freethinker received his en lightenment from my own tongue: “John chose red for himself because his brother in Europe wears red every time he gives away his cargo of toys to the very young at Christmas time”, I thought I had amazed him and I had. He gasped: “But that other fellow in red is called Santa Claus.

He is not a brother to any god— he is a myth. No adult in the British Isles believes in Santa Claus”.

I knew I had won the discussion.

With chiding I replied: “That is the reason you don’t get toys anymore —because you have ceased to be lieve, O ye of little faith. But we Tannese of the true faith still believe and so we shall receive our promised cargo and, what is more, we shall receive it many times a year from John and not just once a year deliveries like Santa Claus makes; and you can’t get much cargo in a sled. Santa Claus would be of no

use to us because it never snows in the New Hebrides”.

The Englishman was baffled and admitted defeat by changing the subject. He said, “Many months ago the Futuna girls told me that you had been made a Brother by John but you have since promoted your self up to Father. Who gave you authority to promote yourself? As a carpenter I cannot promote myself”.

I did not wish to baffle him with skilful words so I replied simply: “By the authority invested in me as High Priest I promoted myself. Not only that—l have since declared myself the Patron Saint of Soccer!

I’m now one jump ahead of the Catholics who have a saint for every day of the year and one for every known crime—so I’m told. And I’ve declared our active volcano, Yehue, to be holy; and also Lake Siwi in the old crater. And when the vulcano logist, whom I’ve heard about, at tempts to lower himself into the active crater to investigate its rumblings—l will personally sever his rope ladder”.

The Englishman showed alarm at my threat for I last saw him racing up the hill to Isangel to warn the French and British Agents just what to expect in the near future. This is proof enough that he believes me in all that I have said about John, and so I have every reason to believe that I have made my first European convert; if so—l’ll make him patron saint of something or other.

TN due course of time I built the A jetty as directed by John Frum, and I saw to it that a large ware house was constructed of bamboo.

The ‘John Frum’ punt was put together by a green snail fisherman who had seen a punt when he was loading his green snail shells into BP’s ship, Darnley.

Furthermore, I built John a house on the branches of a banyan tree at Whitesands. My friend, Kabalu, set out to find a virgin to be John’s first wife for I had failed to locate one, but I did manage to scrape together a dozen females who had worked for Europeans and had learnt to cook European style, and who were widowed and unwanted.

But John Frum did not come at the expected time, and it is under standable for the bread-fruit tree jetty floated away at high tide and we never saw it again. Then there came an undersea earthquake which sent a tidal wave that raced up the beach and washed the warehouse away, and all the sandalwood that was stored inside. The punt, which

Brother Nako right up to Father Nako.

had been made with packing case always leaked and broke in two whe it drifted onto a reef. The house built in the tree, which Mr. Gen called an eagle’s nest, lasted until north wind blew and shook it oi of the branches.

This pleased the dozen widows f( they were always complaining aboi the accumulation of brimstone froi the volcano, causing them to t continually sweeping, and rubbir the grit out of their eyes.

So nothing was ready to receh John’s ship at the expected hou We heard on our radio, accordir to Tamana who operates the wirele station, that the ship had to tui back when the captain couldn’t s< the jetty, but would come agai: And the cargo ship will come aga: just as soon as I can press-gang few workers into building a ne jetty, but next time our jetty will I tied to a tree at high tide.

SINCE declaring our volcan Yehue, to be sacred and tl rightful property of John Frum, party of British and French Agenl protected from the wrath of Jot by their armed police forces, a proached the slope leading up to tl crater. They were accompanied I a spy called a “vulcanologist” who job was said to be to lower himse down inside the crater and pol among the cinders.

I quickly summoned the followe of John Frum but arrived too la to prevent the European party fro reaching the rim. In fact—tl vulcanologist had already tied safety rope around himself and w preparing to climb down the Jacol rope ladder before he becan alarmed at our presence.

The spy had no sooner begun t descent when he saw a knife drav in readiness to cut the rope. J proved to be a man without coura; for he had no sooner seen the met blade glinting in the sun than 1 clambered up the few steps, drew i his rope ladder and, far ahead the police forces, flew for his lil Even though armed with rifles, tl enemies of John Frum proved the worthlessness. A courageous nu situated on the rim of a volcai with a knife is more powerful thj a coward dangling on the end a rope even though armed with rifle.

Yehue has not been troubled 1 such pests since then, and my kni is ever eager to serve my god shou any other sponsor of vermin 1 found to lower spies into ho ground. It is a long time since Tam

ijoyed a human sacrifice and I, ako, High Priest, am just living for lat day when courage returns to lat vulcanologist and, with his false use of confidence, he attempts to ratch the slopes of our sacred )lcano with his spiked boots.

I have spoken.

The Gospel According

To Wapitani

TURING the war against Japan I worked for the Yanks in Vila. this port I heard talk of John 5m the lips of many Americans, attended religious services in all e known denominations. Some eachers called John—John the iptist; others called him John the vine; John the Prophet; St. John; d John with the broom who is ing to sweep away all the sins the world.

John with the broom was the most pular with us Hebrideans for we derstood him: he was practical tereas all other gods were abstract, j don’t understand miracles, or lyer, or collection boxes, but we understand the purpose of a K>m in sweeping things clean.

None of us labourers could pro vince John of the Broom for our 5 cannot shape to a “Br”, so we >rtened his name to John Broom, 1 pronounced him John Frum. [ noticed all the cargo the Yanks re bringing for their war effort, 1 was told a fellow called Uncle u sent it all, and no one had pay for it. He was a grown-up ita Claus. When the war finished, cargoes finished, but word went •und that we Hebrideans were next the list. }nly on the blessed island of tina did the people believe that in Frum would send them cargo v that all the white men had got irs. became John Frum’s dentist be ise I had helped the Yank dentist Vila. I stationed myself at Waisisi, I I used kava for anaesthetic. vb. may not be as strong as 'acaine for I have had to tie many latient to a tree before pulling a th because the nerve is not numb •ugh. But John is going to send a cargo of novacaine, and •erdermic needles, and various ped forceps, a white gown, and a ling machine. I want this equip it because I broke the Chief of iwa’s tooth and could not extract root. I have been hiding from i ever since.

A white journalist pointed out to me that I had now waited 20 years for my cargo of dental supplies to arrive and they were still not in sight.

I asked him how long he had waited for Jesus Christ to arrive, and he replied that it must be nearly two thousand years; so I informed him that I was prepared to wait a further 20 years for John but was he pre pared to wait another two thousand years for Jesus? He said that he would not be alive then—so I have far more chance of seeing my god than he has.

The Gospel According

To Nasi

I WAS trained by the Presbyterian Church to become a school teacher. I battled with my scripture lessons: trying to work out how all the animals got into the ark; how walls could fall at the sound of a trumpet; why Jesus did not visit Pilate and the priests upon his resurrection instead of only those who expected him to rise, etc.

One day my class was empty, and there were not enough congregation in church to hold a service. The followers of John Frum had started up their own schools and services, and the people had flocked to them.

John Frum had been seen, felt, and heard; so I joined the stampede to the new religion.

The Cargo Cult was far easier to understand than the Bible, and so I became a convert and got promised a cargo of typewriters, ball point pens, coat hangers, and an ice box like everyone else.

All three Christian missions panicked because we had won over most of their members. They took their fears to the government, and so began our persecution. Our teachers were exiled to other islands because the missionaries did not want competition. They had suppressed our custom dances many years ago but these now sprang up again. Our kava grounds were re-opened and our tabu grounds restored. Mother Hubbard dresses were turned into mats and our girls once more wore

grass skirts. There was freedom in the air as the white man’s hold on our minds was broken.

Now I teach the benefits of the Cargo Cult. I salute our red flag with the floral design. I look forward to the arrival of my own personal cargo. I feel alive again and not just an imitation white man. When John Frum brings us some new school books I am going to start a university. Father Nako has already given me a degree, and I have not yet sat for any examination—such are the benefits of the Cargo Cult.

The Gospel According

To Kabalu

AS a boy I chewed kava roots for the Elders. When strong enough I worked in the yam gardens. I was not educated nor knew anything about visions or ghosts, and had only heard rumours of a Cargo Cult.

One full moon I was watching the females pacing out their custom dance. They were all donned in Mother Hubbards—a sack-like dress introduced by European missionaries to cover the God-given nakedness of our women. These Mother Hubbards cover the body from chin to toe and to finger tips, and are unsightly to all but a missionary. I felt the urge to make a bonfire of all such apparel, and for a return to grass skirts. The more I thought about it the more I felt the urge to abandon enforced European ways and to re turn to our old ways.

The High Priest informed me that this urge came from John Frum, and he made me John Frum’s Master of Ceremonies just as soon as I had been converted. I had been a Con ductor of Custom Dances, which had to be held in secret because of suppression by the missionaries, so being an MC was a promotion and I brought the custom dances out into the open, no longer being afraid since I had the power of John behind me.

I became fired with zeal for my mission. Mother Hubbards were re duced to the rags they were, and grass skirts came into vogue again.

Eventually I hope to get them danc ing in the nude again same as they do on Aneityum. Also I shall re introduce tattooing, and also en courage my people to carry their water in bamboo poles instead of relying on a tap at the end of a water pipe, for such a pipe at

Isangel went bone dry many tim when there was no water in the tan but a spring always provides wat otherwise it would not be called spring.

And I want a return to our o marriage customs. In the old da a wife was bought for so many pig so many tusks, so many dogs’ teet sharks’ teeth, whales’ teeth. B among Christians a father-in-la receives nothing at all, and the bri( only a piece of paper called a licenc Whereas native weddings last ful three days of feasting—a white mai wedding is all over and done with an hour, and during celebrations the reception, the couple inevitab get so bored that they sneak awa and so that the merrymakers knc just when they are sneaking awi they tie tin cans to their get-awi car so that it makes a big clath Custom weddings make a man real feel that he has been married.

So, under the urge of John Fru I organised the dance. I had t dancers form a circle and ra around a hurricane lamp to t] music from a guitar band. I used knotted stick as the symbol of n authority, with which I kept sor sort of order. Far too many dance wanted to creep away among t wild tobacco plants, but I beat the back with my stick.

ONE day John Frum made me fe his presence, and under his sp( an urge came upon me to spend : my money for I felt that John w coming from America with silv dollars, and so Australian poun would no longer be legal tender, I spread the good news, and no time at all everybody was floe ing to the Trading Posts. So anxio were Tannese to spend their mon in time the Madame Edie sold o her stores in the very first rush. ! the avalanche of bodies proceed to George Bright’s Trading Post.

George Bright was truly a smt operator. When he observed th John Frum was on the march he g out all his red calico and sold He sold John Frum singlets; Jo] Frum boot polish: John Frum ht oil; John Frum chewing gum; ai everything else in his store was so under the name of John Frui Because of this I believe that Geor had become a convert; and also \ English worker who came and playi his Hawaiian guitar at our custo dances at Lokatai; and also the Av tralian, Gerry Horman, who travell( over the island buying up John Fru copra.

After George Bright had sold ot

he mass moved on to Bob Paul’s tore. But Bob Paul never sold John Frum this and that”—he called . spade a spade; he never even lamed his bake-house after John 7 rum.

After spending all my Australian lounds I felt that John was going o bring me a lot of cargo along /ith the silver dollars. I felt I was bout to receive an ice box, a amahawk, an egg whisk, a crate of whisky, a set of false teeth, a bull ozer for the village, a spear gun for ly son. a grandfather clock for my dfe —because a pendulum fascinates er —a septic tank with a chain to ull, and sun glasses for one of my aughters, and a primus stove for lie family.

And for this cargo I promised John would find him a virgin, even if took the whole year.

A S Master of Ceremonies I was given the task of training the ohn Frum army. I have been only ble to drill them with six-foot poles ecause that is all we natives have ot, but John Frum is coming with cargo of cannons, and gunpowder, nd scout tents. So we all drill ready )r the day of his coming.

I gave myself the rank of sergeant lajor, and I designed a flag for my rmy. At first the French DA was ostile to us saluting our own flag, ut when he saw that it was a length f red trade calico with a design of owers on it, he could see that it as a flag of peace, so he went on is way, shrugging his shoulders.

While drilling my soldiers at Port esolution I saw the jetty that had een built. I could see that not /en a punt could tie up to it, and felt that John would be bringing is cargo by air. So I prepared an rstrip on the slopes of the dance round at Lokatai.

When the Englishman came to lay us music one day he observed lat the airstrip was nowhere near mg enough, it sloped steeply, and rily a helicopter could land there, don’t know what a helicopter is at I believe the Englishman is right, id I now felt that the cargo was iming by helicopter.

Years went by and no helicopter ime. Then one day I was at Bob aul’s airstrip watching Paul Burton ring a plane in when I noticed a >rt of flag at the end of the runway, aul Burton told me that a plane mnot land without it, because of :gulations; it is called a windsock, id can tell which way the wind blowing.

It dawned on me why John had sver come. I have now erected a

regulation size windsock at Lakatai.

Now there is nothing to prevent John Frum from landing with his cargo, I do hope it’s soon because my roof is leaking and I need a new one.

The Gospel According

To Tamana

IN the beginning I was engaged in the sandalwood trade, and I also supplied firewood to several bake houses. One day there was a dispute over the ownership of a wife: and I received a sentence, for I lacked any defence after the woman betrayed me; for such is the way of a woman when she is no longer satisfied.

I spent my sentence in the gaol in the British Paddock. My punish ment consisted of mowing lawns, trimming hedges, and unblocking drains. The gaol building had no door, for the termites had eaten it and it had never been replaced. So there was nothing to prevent me of a night time strolling along to the meteorological station and observing the wireless operator broadcasting his daily weather report.

Very soon I felt that I had learnt enough to be able to operate a trans mitter myself. Before I had even trimmed my last hedge or unblocked by last drain, the High Priest had made me John Frum’s wireless operator; the station to be built at Sulphur Bay—away from the prying eyes of white men. 1 had no money so I must confess that in order to assemble a trans mitter I had to pay several trips to the rubbish dumps. Eventually I gathered enough parts together to make a start. The main set I found was very battered and rusty but at least thiee of the nobs worked: and I found enough wire to reach into the branches of a tree.

I had seen an educational film shown by the District Agent all about the Flying Doctor Service in Aus tralia, so I had seen how to make electricity by pedalling. I was very lucky to find a pair of bicycle pedals on a dump, for no one uses bicycles on Tanna because of the mountains.

Father Nako said that John Frum had left them there for me; and in

his first cargo I was to receive a motor bike.

I know that electricity has to be accumulated and I found a battery at the back of Jocteur’s workshop: it leaked but I soon patched that up.

I installed my machine under a banyan tree at Sulphur Bay. I had enough wire to connect everything I had found together, and straight away I had success with broadcast ing. I called to the United States and immediately John Frum replied.

He told me all about his cargo and what each of the faithful would re ceive. T asked for an English motor bike instead of a Japanese one and I was promised it.

But the radio station operates no more, for the combined District Agents made a raid on my establish ment. They were a dishonest raid ing party for they sneaked in at night time, not giving me any warning in order to bury my equipment. The raiding party was armed with rifles and torchlights.

The first thing I knew was the shine of a torchlight in my eyes. I was just giving John Frum a weather report. Torchlights were flashing everywhere and both DA’s were pok ing sticks into my equipment. The interruption put John right off the air. The police searched around to see where John’s voice had come from. They pulled out wires, and shone along the aerial wire going up into the tree where my wife was acting as antenna.

They poked my wife down with poles, causing her to lose much skin.

They claimed that they had exposed me, and that it was my wife who was the voice of John Frum. But those accusations are not true for my wife was only acting as a re ceiver, and only passing the received messages down the aerial wire. They said they heard a woman’s voice, but what do you expect when a voice has flown all the way from America; and besides—my instruments are far from new. Also one of the sergeants was a queer and hears feminine voices all the time anyway.

So between them all they wrecked my radio station. They held me up to ridicule. They threatened me with gaol if I did it again.

These days I never hear the voice of John: no more news about his cargo ship. Luckily he had time to tell me he was bringing a full hold of silver dollars, so that we were able to spend the old-fashioned Aus tralian money. He told me he had a brother called Uncle Sam who was very rich, and a very poor brother in England named John Bull who was once the richest man in the

world until he employed idiots tc advise him. He did mention a Sant< Claus, but he only dealt in toys; anc what we want are golf clubs, frying pans, and such.

So now I shall never know whet my twin-engined motor bike is com ing; nor can I warn John Frun of approaching hurricanes. I live like every other believer, in anticipa tion—expecting my cargo to arrive with every turn of the tide.

The Gospel According

To Marsh

ONCE upon a time I was working in the Trading Post at Tanna I was employed to do repairs bu soon found myself engaged in buying copra and selling behind the counter My employer was a man of imag ination. When the Tannese begai spending all their paper money be cause John Frum was bringing silvei dollars, he named all the articles ir his store after John Frum; and w( sold out all the rubbish we had neve] been able to sell.

It was not that the population hac lost confidence in the pound as th( British have done—it was just tha silver dollars were nicer to kook a and felt nicer to handle. Silver re tains its value whereas pound note: have to be promised value—a promise worth no more than the promise oj cargo of the Cargo Cult.

The Cult gave people new hope They built a jetty, a warehouse, e punt, a Tarzan tree house, and the) cleared land for an airstrip. The) cleaned up the villages in expectatior of John in the same way as loyai members of the Commonwealth deal away all unsightly refuse just be fore the Queen’s visit.

The stamping ground at Lokata: was opened, and I played music there. Old songs were revived, and there was joy on the dancers’ faces, The missions had suppressed the dances and the songs, but the people were now in full revolt —singing their praises of sunshine, full moon, coastal reefs, taro and yam gardens, fishing with cobwebs, etc.

John Frum had won. It always pays for the man behind a store counter to be on the side of the winner. Being on the side of the winner means I shall receive a cargo of roller skates for, as a boy, that is what I always wanted. I shall not be building any jetties or airstrips, but it is great fun watch ing other people do it.