The history of bungee jumping can be traced thousand years ago, which took place on one of the Vanuatu’s islands, Pentecost Island. It is called the island of legend and to prove this tag nanggol, their rituals are perfect evidence. The island was first discovered by European, but many parts of the island do not have any influence of west. It’s a beautiful, mountainous, tropical isle with no towns and developments. The inlanders of the island are known has land divers. They are the inventors and original bungee jumpers which is a ritual done for the blessing of god on their first emerging yam crop.

Modern version of bungee jumping is also a ritual done by the thrill seekers to give reverence to the crucial rush of adrenaline while diving down from high bridges or cranes with help of bungee rope made of elasticity to control free falling. Whereas, Pentecost bungee jumpers do take any safety measures as well as modern equipments, only ropes and towers made out of vines branches and saplings.

The entire episode of nanggol ritual is impressive at the same time frightening; there is always a risk to injure badly or even die as they do not dive with water below but land. The height of the towers is roughly equal to six storey building, made out of vines branches and leaves. To control the fall from the towers platform, vines branches are used. One of the branches is tied to the Pentecost bungee jumpers ankles and another end is tied to the tower. The branches of the vines trees are very flexible after wet season as it is filled by water.

In the Pentecost Island, the bungee jumping is only done by the males but it was started by a women. There is also a story behind the origin of bungee jumping that a millennium ago, a female was running away from her husband named Tamale and to hide from her husband she climbed a tall tree. Her husband warned her to come down but she refused to come down. So getting angrier, her husband climbed on that tree. As he reached close to her, she just leaped forward and jumped off the tall tree branch. Tamale to hold her from falling, also fall from the tree. He didn’t notice that his wife has tied her ankle by the liana vines branch of the tree and lived. But he died in order to save her.

Since then the rituals has been evolved and it is only performed by men of any group to show women that they cannot tricked again. The ritual also stands for the strength and courage of the men. The ritual is also performed for the fertility of the land. The Pentecost bungee jumpers, dive off, curl his head, and touch ground by his shoulders, for blessing of motherland on the next year’s yam crop.

Its heart-pumping event to see, nanggol bungee jumpers performing this ritual without any safety measures or equipments. The whole village surrounding the tower, stomping the ground and dancing and singing in their native language, just fills the air with feeling of mystic and terror. Specially listening the jumpers last words as no one knows, it could be his last words too.