Cargo Cult
The cargo cult is a religious practice in Melanesia and it focuses on obtaining the “cargo” (material wealth) from the Western World through magic, religious rituals and practices. Cargo cult followers believe that their ancestors destined the cargo to them, but crafty Western people unfairly took possession of it. In the first part of 20th century, the followers of John Frum cargo cult of Tanna Island (Vanuatu) build big wooden aircrafts, landing strips and bamboo control towers, duplicating all “white
men rituals”, in hope they would attract real airplanes with cargo to the island. Nowadays this tradition does not exist anymore, but the elders
of Tanna still remember the good old times, when they were imitating the behavior of American soldiers that they had observed during the
World War II. They believe in a mythological man called John Frum, who appeared in Tanna in 1937. He told the islanders to go back to their old traditions and start to live in “custom”. In exchange for this all locals would receive “cargo”. Every day in Lamakara village, followers of the cult raise an American fl ag, which symbolizes power and material wealth, still owned by Westerners (by the legend, John was from America and “Frum” might be a distortion of the word “from”). In anticipation of John, who according to the local myths should come back with “cargo” on
15th of February, on this day, every year, the people of Lamakara wear U.S. military uniforms that were given to them by U.S. soldiers decades before. Many of them paint the acronym “U.S.A.” on their chests and backs and march with bamboo “rifl es” in the U.S. Navy style. Adherent of another Tanna’s cargo cult – Prince Philip Movement – from Yaohnanen village, don’t go to Lamakara for celebrations of John Frum’s day. They believe that there is another “true messiah” – Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,
who is worshiped as a divine person. Legend says that Prince once left the island and traveled to a faraway country, where he married a powerful woman. Soon he will return to Tanna, bringing to his “motherland” all power and wealth of the British crown. However, according to the words of some educated islanders, plenty of cargo is already arriving to Tanna. Every day the local airport receives several fl ights that bring tourists with money. Tanna people have learned how to make profi t from
tourists which means that the “cargo” is working!
men rituals”, in hope they would attract real airplanes with cargo to the island. Nowadays this tradition does not exist anymore, but the elders
of Tanna still remember the good old times, when they were imitating the behavior of American soldiers that they had observed during the
World War II. They believe in a mythological man called John Frum, who appeared in Tanna in 1937. He told the islanders to go back to their old traditions and start to live in “custom”. In exchange for this all locals would receive “cargo”. Every day in Lamakara village, followers of the cult raise an American fl ag, which symbolizes power and material wealth, still owned by Westerners (by the legend, John was from America and “Frum” might be a distortion of the word “from”). In anticipation of John, who according to the local myths should come back with “cargo” on
15th of February, on this day, every year, the people of Lamakara wear U.S. military uniforms that were given to them by U.S. soldiers decades before. Many of them paint the acronym “U.S.A.” on their chests and backs and march with bamboo “rifl es” in the U.S. Navy style. Adherent of another Tanna’s cargo cult – Prince Philip Movement – from Yaohnanen village, don’t go to Lamakara for celebrations of John Frum’s day. They believe that there is another “true messiah” – Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,
who is worshiped as a divine person. Legend says that Prince once left the island and traveled to a faraway country, where he married a powerful woman. Soon he will return to Tanna, bringing to his “motherland” all power and wealth of the British crown. However, according to the words of some educated islanders, plenty of cargo is already arriving to Tanna. Every day the local airport receives several fl ights that bring tourists with money. Tanna people have learned how to make profi t from
tourists which means that the “cargo” is working!