VORWORT DES HERAUSGEBERS - Thorolf Lipp

Einleitung
“It is also a fertility rite. Every year in April, when the first yam crop is ready, the islanders on
the south of the island start building a huge tower for the land diving... As the vines stretch at
the end of the dive, the land diver's heads curl under and their shoulders touch the earth, making
it fertile for the following year's yam crop.”
(Vanuatu Tourism Office – Broschüre, 2004)
“It’s not a show for tourists but an important part of custom ceremony. Up to 30 ‘outsiders’
are permitted to watch the dives on the designated days. It is part of the annual yam festival
and circumcised boys and men of all ages can take part. While it is a ‘manhood’ thing, there is
no shame in not participating, or indeed pulling out at the last minute… Usually, he will hit
the broken earth and ‘fertilise’ the soil, bringing on a healthy yam crop. The jumper’s male
relatives release him and the watchers again break into singing and dancing.”
(http://www.vanuatuatoz.com/n.html, Stand: 10. März 2006)
“Our visit to Pentecost Island was highlighted by the stunning display of land diving, a ceremony
held in the hope of a good Yam harvest in the coming season as well as a ritual of initiation
into manhood for the divers.” (http://www.matthew.mumford.com/Melanesia-
Expedition-Log-1.htm, Stand: 10. März 2006)
“Naghol, or N'gol, is known by outsiders to be a fertility rite. As the divers head grazes the
soil below, the land is made fertile and assures a good yam harvest. The rite, however, has
much deeper and important meaning that is largely kept from the tourists who pay to see the
ceremony. It is a tradition crucial to the cultural and spiritual life of those who participate…
For the tourists, the rite is entertainment - they feel like they are seeing something exotic and
special. The villagers, however, are careful to preserve their cultural and spiritual integrity,
and the true and significant reasons and meanings of the ceremony are not revealed…. A
mother holds a cloth "baby" in her arms as her son makes his first dive, tossing it into the air
as he jumps, representing the passing of his childhood…. It is not seen as a "thrilling sport" -
it is valued for its spiritual and cultural functions. The N'gol ceremony is a part of the secret
initiation process for boys (which is why they must be a certain age and circumcised in order
to dive) and has much deeper significance than most outsiders will ever know…. As eager
tourists watch and comment on the success of each dive, the meaning of the event continues
to be misunderstood and under-valued. Because of the spiritual and cultural importance of the
rite, the esoteric knowledge of the N'gol ceremony may never be known to the outside world.
The sacred initiation ceremony has become not only a tourist attraction, but has "evolved"
into one of the most popular "extreme sports" of modern times. The villagers of Vanuatu dive
for many cultural and spiritual reasons; today's youth jump solely for the adrenaline rush.”
(http://theearthcenter.com/ffarchivesbungee.html, Stand: 10. März 2006)
Die Liste derartiger Texte aus Reiseführern, Vanuatu-Werbeprospekten oder
dem Internet könnte beinahe beliebig verlängert werden, man stieße immer wieder
auf die gleichen, stereotypen Erklärungen. Nun könnte man annehmen, daß
wenigstens die professionellen TV-Teams und Journalisten, die das Turmspringen
zum Gegenstand ihrer Reportagen, Dokumentationen und TV-Beiträge machen,
gründlichere Recherchen anstellen und zu anderen Interpretationen kommen.
Schließlich stellen sie über ihre massenwirksamen Medien eine große Öffentlichkeit
her und spielen eine eminent wichtige Rolle bei der Vermittlung von
„Weltwissen“. Um so erstaunlicher ist, daß sie bei der „Enträtselung“ des Turmspringens
als ernstzunehmende Bedeutungsvermittler weitgehend ausfallen. Ihr
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