The Yasur Volcano found in Tanna Island is a famous tourist destination. The volcano is active year round, and tourists have no problem getting there. According to the Smithsonian Institution, in 1774, the volcano was discovered by Captain Cook, and it looked like a beacon night. However, most scientists believe that the volcano was created by the pressure under the earth crust. This pressure caused the earth to push the magma upward, which eventually exploded. The cooled magma actually became part of the volcanic rocks that are found around the rim.
What Happened?
The volcano had already erupted and was displaying an awesome light show, when Captain Cook discovered it. The dangers of the volcanoes have become a normal way of life for the natives of Vanuatu Islands”. It’s located at the “SE tip” of the island and has “361 m-high procrastic cone”, “400 m-wide summit crater” that is “circular”, and is basically “unvegatated”. The active tectonic plates under the earth’s crust, has caused so much activity that it helped the “Port Resolution harbor” (Smithsonian, 2007) grow.
Is it Special?
Yasur volcano “raised 20 m” (Smithsonian, 2007) in the last “century,” which is intriguing to all geologists. One of the myths was about “King Roymata”, who is reported to be “cannibalistic and warring” with “other tribes of Vanuatu” . According to Yahoo News (2007), Jose Garanger excavated the murdered body of the king seven centuries later. The legend stated that “47 people died” with the king, but they were “buried alive”. The archeologists found a grave and the skeletons of the people, who were in the legend.
Becoming a Legend
The natives prayed for “John Frum” or “John from America” to bring them “western riches”. They met him during “WWII”, when “the Western forces occupied the islands”. Now, tourists bring them riches from the West instead, so the people believe the myth. Every year they celebrate “John Frum day” on Feb. 15th, “Cargo cults” developed the same time. They natives worshiped the “Legendary ruler” due to the unusual cargo. Additionally, “Espiritu Santo”, became a “graveyard” for “B12 and other planes” that crashed “during WWII. This part of the island inspired the book” Tales from the Pacific” (Yahoo News, 2007) by a soldier that was stationed there.
Royal Ties
Plus, it is believed by the locals that “Prince Phillip” is the “reincarnated ancestor” or “spirit”. He is “the husband of England’s Queen Elizabeth” and has accepted his “Vanuatuan Birthright. Then, the leaders “invited him to live on the island” (Yahoo News, 2007), until he died. But, no one knows if he became an island resident or not. Some say “Bungee jumping” was created by the locals, after “a woman tied a vine around her ankle” and “dove off the tree top”.
Conclusion
Currently, “land diving” is popular among local males and tourist, some even jumped over “50 meters”. Some tourist and locals, actually “mingle with manatees”, while diving off the shores of “Lamen Bay”. Many locals actually say the “volcano poses no threat to onlookers” and call it “the Island of Fire”. The tourist and locals will walk up to its “rim and peer in” the volcano. The island is “alive and growing”, according to geologist that have studied the island. Basically, “constant eruptions”, has added over “20 meters” of new land. Many tourist actually claim that the “magic is alive” (Yahoo News, 2007) and is strong around the volcanoes.
Smithsonian Museum (2007) Yasur
Retrieved on the World Wide Web on October 14, 2007
http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=0507-10
Yahoo news (2007) Eight wonders of Vanuatu
Retrieved on the World Wide Web on October 14, 2007
http://travel.news.yahoo.com/b/rba_daily/20060616/rba_daily/rba_daily5915
