REPORTER: Bentley Dean
This is a story about the power of spiritual beliefs and their complex interaction with the modern world. On the volcanic island of Tanna in Vanuatu, traditional beliefs and the cultural practices of millennia, known here as Kastom, still dominate daily life. On Tanna, those beliefs include the John Frum movement.
CHIEF ISAAC (Translation): This is the big, long story of John and how he came to Tanna. At that time, the Presbyterian Church was against Kastom and culture. It was against us holding our clan alliance ceremonies. It did not want us to do Kastom, circumcision, traditional sexual arrangements and traditional marriage exchanges. It banned everything. Also magic stones for rain and sun, and it blocked them. And John saw that Kastom would disappear.
It is unclear whether John Frum was ever a real person. Chief Isaac's father regarded John Frum as a prophet who came to the island in the 1930s to preach a return to Kastom.
CHIEF ISAAC (Translation): When he was with my father, he was in spirit form.
John Frum had prophesised the end of colonial rule, and when the Japanese invaded the Pacific, the British and the French fled. John Frum's prophecy had come true. But the Tannese were unconcerned about the Japanese invasion because John Frum had made another prophecy - the arrival of the Americans to save their culture.
CHIEF ISAAC (Translation): What John had foretold, they had proof when America came and gave their flag. They came back here, raised the U.S. flag and saved Kastom.
Every year on February 15, Chief Isaac presides over John Frum Day, a chance to remember his prophecies and to call on the Americans to return.
CHIEF ISAAC (Translation): The US Marines and Navy, both gave their flag to my father and grandfather. They said ‘Take this flag back to your island and then raise it.’ Had it not been for the Americans, Japan would have eaten up the New Hebrides. Now the way I see it, Vanuatu is part of the US. Because during the World War Two, the Americans came, they came to Tanna and took 1000 Tannese to the war, to help the Americans.
Further down the hill, a splinter group of the John Frum movement has grown. They have a new, living prophet who is known as Prophet Fred. He wants to end what he sees as an obsession with America. He also wants to reintroduce Christian beliefs. He calls his breakaway movement Unity and preaches that John Frum, Jesus Christ and Kastom are one.
PROPHET FRED (Translation): This is not the time for the American flag, nor the African flag, nor the French flag, nor the English flag. This is the time for our traditional flag, the Kakuasai leaf flag. This is the true flag of Kastom. All of this is to add to what has been said before, John Frum day should not be celebrated by anyone.
Fred began gaining followers after accurately predicting the lake under the volcano would burst and flood the village in 2000. With his prophecies verified, Fred gathered about 1,000 disciples, almost half of Chief Isaac's village, and left to set up another village nearby.
FOLLOWER (Translation): If he says ‘Rain be blocked’ then it stops. If he says ‘Come out sun” it comes out. I’ve verified Prophet Fred can do all these things.
Two leaders, Chief Isaac and Prophet Fred, are now in open confrontation.
CHIEF ISAAC (Translation): I want Fred and his people to leave this area of John’s movement. Up until now Kastom and its laws have lain hidden, it is time now for Kastom to rule the world. One day America will give us independence and planes and trucks… America will help us.
MAN: There will be another flag that can rule the people through the Holy Spirit.
PROPHET FRED (Translation): This is my flag, I’ve put it here at the church.
Last year, the dispute broke into open fighting. Isaac called in the Vanuatu mobile force to eject Fred and his followers from disputed land they had settled on, on the side of the volcano. Several months ago, there was another attack. Fred's house was burned down, along with the church. Now his followers are gathering to open a new building. Even at this ostensibly Christian ceremony, some of Fred's followers are possessed by traditional spirits and will remain in a trance for hours. Fred is also waiting, and relations between the two groups are still hostile. It is leading to a more apocalyptic prophecy.
Reporter/Camera
BENTLEY DEAN
Editor
ANTOINETTE FORD
NICK O’BRIEN
FIXER
BEN BOHANE
Subtitling
KIRK HUFFMAN
This is a story about the power of spiritual beliefs and their complex interaction with the modern world. On the volcanic island of Tanna in Vanuatu, traditional beliefs and the cultural practices of millennia, known here as Kastom, still dominate daily life. On Tanna, those beliefs include the John Frum movement.
CHIEF ISAAC (Translation): This is the big, long story of John and how he came to Tanna. At that time, the Presbyterian Church was against Kastom and culture. It was against us holding our clan alliance ceremonies. It did not want us to do Kastom, circumcision, traditional sexual arrangements and traditional marriage exchanges. It banned everything. Also magic stones for rain and sun, and it blocked them. And John saw that Kastom would disappear.
It is unclear whether John Frum was ever a real person. Chief Isaac's father regarded John Frum as a prophet who came to the island in the 1930s to preach a return to Kastom.
CHIEF ISAAC (Translation): When he was with my father, he was in spirit form.
John Frum had prophesised the end of colonial rule, and when the Japanese invaded the Pacific, the British and the French fled. John Frum's prophecy had come true. But the Tannese were unconcerned about the Japanese invasion because John Frum had made another prophecy - the arrival of the Americans to save their culture.
CHIEF ISAAC (Translation): What John had foretold, they had proof when America came and gave their flag. They came back here, raised the U.S. flag and saved Kastom.
Every year on February 15, Chief Isaac presides over John Frum Day, a chance to remember his prophecies and to call on the Americans to return.
CHIEF ISAAC (Translation): The US Marines and Navy, both gave their flag to my father and grandfather. They said ‘Take this flag back to your island and then raise it.’ Had it not been for the Americans, Japan would have eaten up the New Hebrides. Now the way I see it, Vanuatu is part of the US. Because during the World War Two, the Americans came, they came to Tanna and took 1000 Tannese to the war, to help the Americans.
Further down the hill, a splinter group of the John Frum movement has grown. They have a new, living prophet who is known as Prophet Fred. He wants to end what he sees as an obsession with America. He also wants to reintroduce Christian beliefs. He calls his breakaway movement Unity and preaches that John Frum, Jesus Christ and Kastom are one.
PROPHET FRED (Translation): This is not the time for the American flag, nor the African flag, nor the French flag, nor the English flag. This is the time for our traditional flag, the Kakuasai leaf flag. This is the true flag of Kastom. All of this is to add to what has been said before, John Frum day should not be celebrated by anyone.
Fred began gaining followers after accurately predicting the lake under the volcano would burst and flood the village in 2000. With his prophecies verified, Fred gathered about 1,000 disciples, almost half of Chief Isaac's village, and left to set up another village nearby.
FOLLOWER (Translation): If he says ‘Rain be blocked’ then it stops. If he says ‘Come out sun” it comes out. I’ve verified Prophet Fred can do all these things.
Two leaders, Chief Isaac and Prophet Fred, are now in open confrontation.
CHIEF ISAAC (Translation): I want Fred and his people to leave this area of John’s movement. Up until now Kastom and its laws have lain hidden, it is time now for Kastom to rule the world. One day America will give us independence and planes and trucks… America will help us.
MAN: There will be another flag that can rule the people through the Holy Spirit.
PROPHET FRED (Translation): This is my flag, I’ve put it here at the church.
Last year, the dispute broke into open fighting. Isaac called in the Vanuatu mobile force to eject Fred and his followers from disputed land they had settled on, on the side of the volcano. Several months ago, there was another attack. Fred's house was burned down, along with the church. Now his followers are gathering to open a new building. Even at this ostensibly Christian ceremony, some of Fred's followers are possessed by traditional spirits and will remain in a trance for hours. Fred is also waiting, and relations between the two groups are still hostile. It is leading to a more apocalyptic prophecy.
Reporter/Camera
BENTLEY DEAN
Editor
ANTOINETTE FORD
NICK O’BRIEN
FIXER
BEN BOHANE
Subtitling
KIRK HUFFMAN