![]() Versions of the cult emphasizing the American connection interpret "John Frum" as a corruption of "John from (America)" (although it could mean "John from" anywhere not of Vanuatan origin). Īfter the war and the departure of the Americans, followers of John Frum built symbolic landing strips to encourage American airplanes to land and bring them "cargo". The mass participation of Ni-Vanuatu men in the Labor Corps had a significant effect on the John Frum movement, giving it the characteristics of a cargo cult. They provided logistical support to the Allied war effort during the Guadalcanal Campaign. During the war, approximately 10,000 Ni-Vanuatu men served in the Vanuatu Labor Corps, a labor battalion of the United States Armed Forces. ĭespite this effort, the movement gained popularity in the early 1940s after 50,000 American troops were stationed in New Hebrides during World War II, bringing with them an enormous amount of supplies (or "cargo"). European colonial authorities sought to suppress the movement, at one point arresting a Tannese man calling himself John Frum, humiliating him publicly, imprisoning and ultimately exiling him along with other leaders of the cult to another island in the archipelago. Most followers had come from the Presbyterian church. In 1941, followers of John Frum rid themselves of their money in a frenzy of spending, left the missionary churches, schools, villages and plantations, and moved inland to participate in traditional feasts, dances and rituals. For this to happen, however, the people of Tanna had to reject all aspects of European society including money, Western education, Christianity and work on copra plantations, and they had to return to traditional kastom (the Bislama language word for customs). Said to be a manifestation of Keraperamun, this John Frum promised the dawn of a new age in which all White people, including missionaries, would depart the New Hebrides, leaving behind their goods and property for the native Melanesians. Others contend that John Frum was a kava-induced spirit vision. In some versions of the story, a native man named Manehivi, using the alias "John Frum", began appearing among the native people of Tanna dressed in a Western-style coat, assuring the people he would bring them houses, clothes, food, and transport. In one analysis of the cult, the figure was first known as John Broom, who was believed by followers to one day return from a distant land to sweep away the White colonials and return riches to the islands. The movement was influenced by existing religious practice in the Sulphur Bay area of Tanna, particularly the worship of Keraperamun, a god associated with Mount Tukosmera. The religion centering on John Frum arose in the late 1930s, when Vanuatu was known as the New Hebrides, although there was a claim in 1949 that it had started in the 1910s. ![]() I was very intrugued by the whole story, and I'm interested to see what the game turns out like.A John Frum cargo cult ceremonial flag-raising I've had my eye on MxO since the beginning too. your expectations are likley to be way out of wack. I guess this is where the saying "don't beta test a game you know you will love" comes in. I'm sure that many things have changed since then, so these issues I have might even be totally cleared up. Of course when I tried it out, it was like close to 2 or 3 months ago. ![]() I think the game has great potential, it just needs some adjustments to make it more fun to play. One thing I did love about the game though was the story.I read the story for hours while the beta client downloaded, and was totally intrugued. It was obvious that it was intended for me to stay in newbie land for quite a few more levels before venturing out into the "real" world. I wandered around the monstrosity, and managed to find my way out and into the open, where I was promptly pwned. ![]() I finally managed to, and then I was slapped smack-dab in the middle of this GIGANTIC city, with little or no players running around (perhaps they were there, I just didnt know where to find them). I lost my patience for staying in this starter area, and was really motivated to get the heck out of these asap. You start out in this newbie area that is really pretty docile, filled with little (yet agressive) bunny rabbit type things and other fairly tame monsters. I didn't level up quick enough to feel at all important, and it seemed like certain things were just too overly complicated. I played it for a week and a half, or thereabouts, and from my experience at the time it seemed to be a fairly tedious game.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |