10 Insane Facts About The John Frum Cult You Didn’t Know
The impact of colonialism on the world has been widely published and documented, and is put back into the spotlight a few times a year as world events unfold. It was the way of life in the world for hundreds of years: kill or be killed. Conquer the living world and stretch your arms as far around resources and territory as you can, so that your future and the future of your children are assured, even if it comes at the cost of blood.
But there are other things affected by colonialism that we don’t often think about, such as the response of small satellite cults in remote areas where the so-called civilization only visited the indigenous people and never imposed itself on them. One such cult is the John Frum freight cult, and their existence is fascinating.
Here are ten facts about the John Frum freight cult that you probably didn’t know.
Related: Top 10 sects with huge followers
10 A cargo cult
What is a “cargo cult,” you ask? In short, cargo cults are religious sects or movements that believe that a deity or supernatural element will soon bless them with cargo or valuable resources. The John Frum cult, which is not the only one of its kind in history, is the longest-standing example of such a cult.
So, what are the goods they are waiting for? We can only guess; however, it is clear that people worship Western materialism. Yeah, sort of. There are some theories that suggest that the material aspect of religion simply represents a reconceptualization of material actions into a spiritual event that can reaffirm the faith itself.
Probably the truer version is that people are happy. Religion brings a certain structure and coherence to village life, because the vague promise of material wealth maintains current beliefs.[1]
9 John Frum is a God
While John Frum sounds like a guy you might run into at the Walmart near you, that’s not what the name represents. John, a mystical figure associated with the movement, is often depicted as an American soldier during World War II and is promised to bring prosperity to the people of Tanna (Vanuatu).
Technically, Walmart John is exactly what the people of the island have in mind: showering the average Western man with earthly possessions. But that is not the only Western connotation. It is said that John Frum is derived from the words ‘John From America’, which over time, with the language barrier, became John Frum.
Some say he explored the area during the war; Others say he is a fabrication, created in the minds of conniving men who try to use the myth of his existence to gain control over the people of the village.[2]
8 Not the only cargo cult
Considering these strange and somewhat bizarre sects, one might wonder how such a movement could take hold of people’s minds and then develop into a full-fledged religious sect or sect. Still, you may be surprised to learn that the John Frum cult is not the only one of its kind.
The Vailala Madness, a similar sect from Papua New Guinea, had the impression, to the point of madness, that the Ancients, the Saints, were withholding European goods from the island’s indigenous peoples.
In one such movement that turned violent, followers of the Vailala Madness began to abandon their roots, attacking traditional ritual objects, destroying their gardens, and abandoning their trade. As a kind of religious regime change, they enforced Sunday observance and purity and rejected personal adornment. The Vailala madness died out in 1931, but is still idealized by some.[3]
7 Melanesia’s last cargo cult
If we ignore some influencers urging us to embrace materialism as our new religion, the John Frum cult is the first cargo cult, and it still exists to this day.
Many such cults emerged in Melanesia, such as the Vailala Madness cult, the Tom Navy cult, the Tuka cult, and the Prince Philip movement. But all of these cults, while similar in origin and practice, lack one thing that the John Frum cult does have: longevity.
Some sources suggest their numbers have fallen below 500. However, it is not clear how many people are still interested in upholding their traditions. What is clear, however, is that the sect’s numbers are declining as globalization takes its toll.[4]
6 They have their own customs and government
Currently, only the village of Lamakara hosts those loyal to Frum, while the rest of the island converted to Christianity over many years of missionary work and outreaches and fell under a more established political regime.
In the 1970s, John Frum’s followers opposed the creation of an independent united nation of Vanuatu, objecting to a centralized government for fear that Western modernity and Christianity would be harmful to their local customs. The movement created its own political party, Nagriamel, led at the time by Son Keaspai, which celebrated its 50th anniversary on February 15, 2007.
Over the years, the party was led by others, including Thitam Goiset, a woman of Vietnamese descent, despite the movement’s leadership positions previously being held by senior male leaders.[5]
5 They have a Prophet
Chief Fred Isaak is the only direct link to John Frum, the god of cargo himself. But the situation is a bit more circumspect than that of a democratically elected prophet or leader who is allowed to talk to John.
Isaak left the village in the 1990s to spend time outdoors, fishing on a Taiwanese fishing boat and gaining some world knowledge. However, when Isaac returned, he came with wonderful tidings. Off the coast of Africa, Isaac says he experienced what can only be described as an out-of-body experience, receiving visions from God.
The messages told him that the followers were not on the path to salvation and that he needed to change their behavior. He returned with the news, and it caused division in the community, dividing the believers. He again became head of part of the congregation and met regularly with Frum from his volcanic site.[6]
4 They have a volcano
Oh, didn’t I mention they have a volcano? It’s somewhat cliché when you think about it: the remote sect that worships its own version of a Western deity has a volcano.
Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, it should come as no surprise that they have quite a bit of volcanic activity, with nine active volcanoes in Vanuatu, seven of which are underwater. The most easily accessible of the two landlocked volcanoes is Mount Yasur, located on the island of Tanna.
Mount Yasur has been active and erupting continuously since the eighteenth century. It is the center of the cargo cult, leading many to call Tanna Island Sulfur Bay. Needless to say, the members of the cult are fortunate in the sense that the volcano does not require any sacrifice for atonement.[7]
3 John Frum Day
Like most religions, there is a special day, a sacred celebration held annually to gather with your religious peers and pay tribute or tribute to your gods.
John Frum Day is held annually on February 15, a day when followers descend on the village of Lamakara to honor their American messiah. The men dress in military garb and bamboo fashion rifles, saluting the American flag above their heads, while the women in the village dress in colorful skirts and dance in honor of Frum.
Very few outsiders have had the privilege of attending one of these festivals. However, for the right price, anything is possible and the locals won’t bite.[8]
2 Wooden airport
After the war, when the Americans left the Pacific Islands, followers of Frum built airstrips, complete with wooden planes and all, hoping that their work would entice Americans to land their planes and bring in cargo.
From those early years to this day, during their annual John Frum celebrations, local residents build an airfield, complete with wooden planes, to mimic a real functional airfield. At least mimic it from a distance.
But that is not everything. The sect is known for setting up fake offices and dining rooms and attempting to construct what are (somewhat ironically) considered Western goods, such as radios made from straw and coconuts.[9]
1 Anthropological interest
Thanks to its well-documented existence, longevity, and openness to the outside world (within reason), the sect has become something of an anthropological gold mine, with scientists, scholars, psychologists, and academics studying its habits, development, and decline.
It feels like only a matter of time before the cult ceases to exist altogether (except perhaps to keep some of the island’s rich traditions alive). Yet it has already shown that it can develop, and has gone through all the stages you would expect from a sect or sect that has developed a following and almost been accepted as part of the fabric of the island.
They’ll remain a fascinating couple until John Frum actually shows up with his load and puts all the doubters in their place.[10]