The Original Bungee Jump

You left your stomach behind as the ground rushes toward you, wind rushing by your ears and the mix of terror and excitement rushing through your body. Time means nothing, as the surreal atmosphere surrounding your fall stops the clock, and your awareness is completely in the moment. Finally the rope tightens and your body jerks upward, away from the ground that was quickly approaching. Part of you breathes a sigh of relief as the adrenaline continues to flow. This high will last for days; the memory will last a lifetime.

Dubbed as an "extreme sport", bungee jumping is one of the most well known and sought after of the adrenaline-boosting adventures. You can find specials covering jumps on ESPN, organizations of jumpers on the Internet, and inexperienced first-timers jumping off a crane at a local carnival. Most people consider bungee jumping to be an invention of the thrill-seekers of the Mountain Dew commercials - an intense activity not meant for the weak of heart. Yet the act of bungee jumping has much deeper roots and meaning than most people realize. It is said that everything has its roots in Africa - bungee jumping is no exception (the original forms of "bungee jumping" are found in Africa and African islands and continues to be practiced in many areas, including Uganda). And, like most misunderstood traditions, it has been trivialized and turned into mere entertainment. Modern youth embrace this sport as an adventurous thrill and nothing more; traditionally, however, the rite has important cultural and spiritual meaning that is not to be overlooked.

Legend has it that there was once a woman on the Pentecost Island in the Vanuatu jungles who ran away from her husband, Tamale. Trying to escape, the wife hid in a very tall tree, but Tamale saw her and climbed the tree after her. The woman jumped out of the tree and her husband followed. The woman had tied vines to her feet to break her fall; Tamale had not. While she survived, Tamale did not. From that year on, the men in the village began the tradition of the land dives as a proof of strength and as a reminder to women that they will never be tricked again.