The origin of land diving

on Pentecost Island

By Hanson Lini

V the past, marriages on Pentecost were arranged by the parents of j boy and the girl. According to is custom, Atamani and Vavine ;re married. In those days sex was forbidden topic and every young 1 did not know what marriage was about until she arrived at her sband’s house where her married nties would explain to her, by iking rather suggestive jokes to the xun’s aunties, and then leave the ide alone in the house to await the xun’s arrival.

Vavine didn’t enjoy the intimate ationship she was having with her sband and, when she discovered it she was pregnant, she decided be on non-talking terms with him. rly in the mornings she would get and prepare her husband’s break it, then, when her husband awoke, j would take to the bush and spend : whole day, clearing and planting ;ir crops.

Atamani was a loving husband and I not want to ask questions so he ited anxiously for Vavine to ange her attitude. This attitude rsisted and so Atamani decided to k advice from an elderly man in : village. When she heard about at Atamani had done, she left the use and walked to the coconut >ve, intending to commit suicide.

Atamani followed Vavine to see ere she was going. On arriving at grove, he saw Vavine climbing a :onut tree, and he tried to stop her, t she had reached the top, and, ling to her husband, she said: “I ill now kill myself because you /en’t been kind to me”.

Atamani begged her to descend m the tree but she kept saying he in’t been kind to her. Atamani aded in vain. Weeping and cursing nself, he climbed after Vavine.

While Vavine was speaking to her sband, she split an unopened coco : leaf and tied the tail end around ■ ankle. When Atamani neared the i of the coconut tree, she prepared jump down. 3n arriving at the top of the tree, amani begged, “Please come home h me now; I’ll do everything to ke you happy”.

Ravine did not listen to him, she ed down and, reacting to this, rniani followed her to his death

while Vavine was saved by the bend ing coconut leaf.

The villagers came and rescued Vavine, and took Atamani and buried him.

The males in the village were so infuriated with this incident that they decided to try this method of diving.

When they discovered that they were saved by the vines tied around their ankles, they agreed on an annual diving ceremony. Now the diving is associated with the yam harvest. It is widely believed that land diving will ensure a better yam crop the following harvest. Each year, during late October and early November, the land divers dive from their high towers.