Ambrym Island, Vanuatu

This, the home of Magic in the Vanuatu islands, is a volcanic island and our anchorage came complete with a volcanic black sand beach skirting the village front which stretched along the shoreline for some ways. We met up with various locals and arranged for a viewing of the specialty of this area, the Ambrym Island ROM dance.

It was a long walk up the mountain to the village of Fanla but our reward was well worth it. The Rom dance is an annual dance performed by the men ONLY and for the sole benefit of improving the yield of the forthcoming yam season by entertaining the 'spirits'. We enjoyed this special dance, which is very Stone Age in form but very mesmerizing in solidarity, unification and ability to get one into a trance of sorts. The dance is a chanting vocal song combined with the constant heavy footfalls of the 8-15 men in the inner circle and surrounded by the 4 deities whose head gear is worn only on this special occasion. It is thereafter destroyed! The dance continues on for a lengthy period of time during which the rhythm and speed of the thumping is alternated and adjusted according to legend and custom. It was very interesting and an enjoyable experience indeed.

We were also treated to a viewing of the many carvings produced by the many talented carvers. We purchased some bamboo flutes with burnt designs on the sides for little more then 2 dollars. The masks and rock carvings were considerably more expensive though, but well worth it.

Unfortunately after consulting with many of the higher ranked members of the community we were informed that we could not ascend the volcano as the period to do this had already expired and to ascend at this late stage would sincerely upset the Yam harvest spirits. This would no doubt result in heavy acid rains and ruined crops, which the village did not want! So without further a due we bade the villagers a sincere goodbye and headed on to Pentecost and Maewo.