Six Australian filmmakers are travelling the world in search of a story, each tasked with making a weekly short film for ABC iview’s Race Around The World.
This is contestant Kate McGuinness’s experience from her week four travels in Vanuatu.
I was a bit nervous to meet Chief Moly. I was told that “this guy likes to talk”, and if I were to film with him, I had to follow these instructions:
- Wear an island dress
- Bring a kava plant
- Gift him a pack of ciggies
I was staying with Kelson, a community man and a Seventh-day Adventist. Vanuatu’s Tanna Island is home to some of the nicest and most devout Christians I’ve ever encountered.
This is my blue island dress. (ABC/Race Around The World: Kate McGuinness)
I always wanted to be religious. During primary school, I seriously considered becoming Christian. A local church group held afternoon Guitar Hero sessions with junk food and Jesus at my local library, which I attended until my atheist mother found out. I went to Catholic church with my Grandma, but I got tired of all the standing up and sitting down.
I’ve heard you have to try really hard to get into Judaism, and I think the Koran says that everyone is already Muslim, you don’t convert, you revert.
I’m not an expert, though. Maybe they haven’t tried to convert me because they don’t want me hanging around their mosques and synagogues.
I fully immerse myself in the Tanna Island culture.
Most people on Tanna practice one of several forms of Christianity; it’s a huge fixture of daily life, but I was never proselytised.
Generally, people are very committed to their faith, but I didn’t find any evidence of a superiority complex that often can come with organised religion.
All in all, I’m in favour of spiritual fervency as long as it’s on Tanna Island. They can pull it off better than anyone else.
I ride on the back of Kelson’s ute to the John Frum village, where Chief Moly is the leader.
The village houses surround an empty field, circling a couple of shelters. An American flag is hoisted, towering over the open space.
The flag sits high in the village sky. (ABC/Race Around The World: Kate McGuinness)
Chief Moly is waiting for us. He’s wearing a shirt imprinted with the word Jesus. I hand him the kava plant and we walk up to the village headquarters.
A tidy and small house, it’s dark inside and the walls are painted with murals telling the origin story of the John Frum religion.
Kelson translates, but Moly speaks with his hands, motioning the significance of his great uncle’s visions of a shape-shifting spirit known as John Frum.
There was a reckoning among Ni-Vanuatu men due to the presence of black American soldiers stationed in Vanuatu during World War II.
Western forces were relying on black people to fight against an Asian threat. At the same time, elders from Tanna were imprisoned by the British for practising Kastom (custom, or traditional culture).
He tells me that a group of American soldiers was so impressed by the character of the people of Tanna that they helped secure their freedom. They gave the elders an American flag to remember them by.
My understanding, aided by Moly and community members, is that the John Frum religion is a fusion of elements of Christian allegory with Kastom.
The spectre of John Frum is reminiscent of Jesus, who is also recognised in their incredible music and song. Originally the spirit was referred to as John Broom, a figure who would sweep away the colonial forces on Tanna.
This Tanna Island local wears a shirt from my hometown’s football club.
Chief Moly helps his granddaughter arrange flowers for the Friday evening music. Weekly, bands come from other villages and play for 12 hours straight. The chief’s grandchildren surround him constantly.
Chief Moly tells me that many men have asked to interview him, but I’m the only woman and that I should be proud of that.
He declares that in the John Frum Village I will be known as Sophie. This is my Kastom name, sharing it with one of his daughters.
Kelson disagrees with this name. He says it’s too Anglo for a Kastom name. He tells me my name is Setang. The name of his mother. She has a blue island dress like me.
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Kate McGuinness is a contestant on ABC iview’s Race Around The World. Stream Race Around The World on ABC iview, or watch Sundays at 7.30pm on ABC TV.
