Spiritual leap of faith

Title – Spiritual leap of faith
Source – Sport
Date – 13th April 2007

Some cultural events are still sacred, some you can join in with, others you may be barred from altogether; always see any inclusion as an honour and a privilege. Getting an insight into the traditional way of life is not always for the faint hearted, sometimes the events are bizarre, sometimes they are private; but many times travellers can get a feel for them and it would not be unique to see a traveller who has visited New Zealand returning with a small Maori tattoo, less likely however is for a traveller to come home with their face tattooed as might be tradition in many of the Pacific islands and is often related to a right of passage ceremony.

The same can be said for the land diving ceremonies of Vanuatu, incredible as they are and spectacular in their danger and sheer insanity, this is a right of passage reserved purely for the islanders and not something any traveller, tourist or visitor should in any way get involved with. The closest they should get is the other side of a camera lens.

There is not an insurance company in the world who will pay out a claim when you seriously injure yourself having climbed a bamboo structure 70 feet off the ground and tied a natural vine to your ankles (that has the elasticity of climbing rope) and thrown yourself off knowing that the nearest hospital is several hundred miles away on a different island…

But if your culture relies on this activity to demonstrate your standing in your community and the Yam harvest is counting on your actions, there might just be a good enough reason to get up there and throw yourself off. But this dangerous and brave activity should never be mocked, injuries and deaths are not uncommon, this is still a very important ritual on Pentecost island. Tourist are now invited to come and watch, but this is no spectacle put on for tourists and outsiders can watch but not take part.

If you want to get a real insight into this sensation, then when you are in Australia (the usual starting point for a visit to Vanuatu) head for one of the many modern day vine jumping locations, more commonly called Bungee Jumps. But even Bungee carries risks, so make sure your insurance covers you for these activities.

At Beyond The Blue we look at the questions you need to ask when looking for travel insurance, make sure that the area you are visiting is covered, as well as the activities you intend to take part in. Insurance choices should be based on much more then cost alone; the cheapest here is certainly not always the best. Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop does not recommend specific insurance or companies, but helps you to make sure you ask all the right questions and get appropriate cover for your trip.


Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com