Naghol or N’gol or land diving is a ritual performed by the men of the southern part of Pentecost Island, Vanuatu. Diving ceremonies usually takes place each Saturday through April and May.
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Naghol or land diving is a ritual performed by the men of the southern part of Pentecost Island, Vanuatu. The precursor to bungee jumping, men jump off of wooden towers around 20 to 30 metres (66 to 98 ft) high, with two tree vines wrapped around the ankles. Land diving is done without any safety equipment. The tradition has developed into a tourist attraction.
According to the Guinness World Records, the g-force experienced by those at their lowest point in the dive is the greatest experienced in the non-industrialized world by humans.
Land diving has become a tourist attraction for the villagers.The tourism aspect of land diving has come with some debate, such as maintaining the custom’s integrity while gaining attention. To prevent commercialization of land diving, a tourism council that handles the tourists and presentation was formed by the chiefs. The tourism office works with tour companies and provides revenue by bringing in foreigners. A maximum of fifty tourists at a site are allowed up to eight times a year. The local control and government support maintain the ritual’s authenticity, while encouraging promotion. In 1982, tourists paid 35 pounds per person to watch the event. Though it was an annual event, naghol occurs weekly from April to June because of its profitability. Some tourists want to try land diving themselves, but are often denied for fear of safety. In 2006, commercial filming of the ritual was banned by the Vanuatu Cultural Centre to protect the culture.