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Fanla Festival: Black Magic and Sand Drawing

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Black magic is an integral part of the Vanuatu culture and is practiced widely by sorcerers and witch doctors.  However, Ambrym is considered the black magic epicenter of Vanuatu.  This is because they believe the very active volcano gives them special powers.

Black magic is performed by special sorcerers called “the man blong blak majik.” and are usually graded a 5 or higher.  Typically, females are not allowed near the sorcerer or his black magic.  However, times have changed and women are now allowed to witness their performance.

We were told that they practiced black magic in several villages and islands.  In Pentecost, southern Ambrym, and Tanna stories were told of the great black magic that was done over the years.

What is Black Magic Used for?

The elders will use black magic to control the weather.  To call for rain and storms, to help their harvest, to find love, or to curse an enemy.

In Lonwolwol, the village chief told us that his elders used black magic to make the volcano erupt.  Why would they do that?  Well, Christianity came to the island in the 1800’s.  As more and more villagers became Christian they stopped giving the respect and power to the chiefs.  So the chiefs used black magic to make the massive volcano erupt which destroyed the entire Cristian community.

What Black Magic Was Performed

Well, the “tricks” performed at the Fanla festival were relatively mild when you compare them to say a “David Copperfield Magic show.”  They performed 4 tricks for us.

The first trick involved a palm frond or long leafy branch.  He used a machete to cut off one side of the branch (1) and all of the leaves fell to the ground (2).  He placed the branch next to the fallen leaves.  Then he proceeded to spit several times (3) as he walked around the branch and fallen leaves.  After 4-5 spits, he bent over, grabbed the branch and all of the leaves had returned to the branch (4).

The second performance required two pieces of bamboo..  They had an opening on one end but were sealed on the other.  One bamboo was empty but the other had water inside (1).  He took the water from one bamboo shoot and placed it into the other (2).  After a little walking around and lots of spitting, he turned both pieces of bamboo over and they were both empty (3).  Where did the water go?

A Little Bit of Silliness

The third trick involved a white feather.  He held it for awhile, walked around a little bit, spit several times.  Spitting is very important for Vanuatu superstition.  Then he dropped the feather and ran away from it (3 and 4).  The feather followed him.

The last black magic trick that was performed included some tourists.  They had a special stick that they said conjured up the spirits.    The nambas (men wearing nambas) formed a circle and pounded the ground with rocks.  They chanted and sang as another man pounded a stick into the ground.  The sorcerer and another man grabbed the black stick and closed their eyes.  The spirit was tossing the stick all over the place as the two men tried desperately to hold on.  Soon, two tourists were brought over to help them.  The spirit was angry and wanted the stick but the tourists and locals would not let go. 

In reality, they were fighting each other without knowing it as their eyes were closed.  But it was in great fun.

The Art of Sand Drawing

A master sand drawer must possess a strong knowledge of graphic patterns, a deep understanding of their significance, and have the ability to tell a story with his art.

Sand drawing is done completely by memory and will vary from artist to artist.  It is a unique way of telling stories, sharing their culture and history, and communicating.

They have sacred and profane meanings and were used to record rituals, mythological lore, local history, farming techniques, and more.

Sand Drawing in Fanla

During the festival we are treated to two different sand drawings.  The chief explains that sand drawing is multi-functional as an indigenous artistic expression while telling a story and passing down their traditions.

They start out by finding a clear space of sand.  If one is not available, such as during the festival, then they sprinkle ash on the ground to create a clear space.  

They start by drawing straight lines to create a grid.  When the artist is ready to begin he will position himself in the center of the art so he can reach all sides.  Using one finger, he will draw patterns continuously meandering around until the finished product is produced.  

The finger will only leave the ground once the sand drawing is complete.  The first piece he drew is the image for the ROM festival.

He then clears his area, lays more ash down and begins again.  This time he draws the island of Ambrym which is represented by the two volcanic peaks.

There are over 100 sand drawings being recorded by the artists.  They practice during their free time and consider it a hobby.

The Role of the Leader

At the end of Day 1, the chief asks who the leader is of our group.  Everyone points to me, unanimously.  Oh boy, I am not sure I am going to like this….

The chief asks me to come forward to share a cup of kava with him.  Eek gads. I did not like kava in Fiji, I doubt I will like it here.

Kava is a derivative of the pepper tree family and is cut and chewed into a pulp.  Then it is spat into a bowl.  The mushy pulp is squeezed and the resultant, brown liquid is drunk in a single gulp.  Sound appealing???

I get up and put my best smile on.  The chief has changed into “normal clothing” and hands me my mid-tide cup.  We sort of do an air “cheers” and then it is bottoms up.  

As you can see…it was a hard swallow, but I did it with a smile.

Afterwards they presented me with a special gift.  It was a piece of carved wood representing the ROM festival.  Very special and sweet.  Almost worth all of the work it took to gather the 18 cruisers.

Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind actual live events.  The Fanla Festival was held in mid-July 2024.  If you missed it, our last post showcased the ROM Dance.

Fanla Festival: A Mystical Culture

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The ROM or “masked” dance is known for its detailed and complex masks, elaborate costumes, and rhythmic drumming.  It is performed by the chiefs, elders, and sorcerers during special ceremonies, grade-taking, and occasionally for performances.

In this post I will share with you the history and magic of the cone shaped masks.  In our next blog, you will encounter the extraordinary ROM dance.

Legend of the Mask

The two-sided ROM mask represents good and evil.  The legend says that a beautiful young woman from Olal (a village on the North tip of Ambrym) created the first ROM costume to gain the love of a young man. She donned the ROM outfit and enticed him into the forest where she revealed herself to him and fatefully told him how she made the costume.

The man did not love the woman, but he did love the mask.  So, he killed the woman, took the mask, and sold the rights to make the copies of the costume to fellow tribesmen.  He traded the rights for pigs which he used to gain the next grade and improve his status.

The belief that stands for the “good” stems from a young mother who had a baby who could not be soothed.  It cried uncontrollably so she created a mask to bring it joy.

How is the ROM Costume Made?

The ancient ritual is shrouded in secrecy. Costumes are kept in strict hiding until the ceremony begins.  If a male takes a “peek”, they must pay the fine of one pig and endure a whipping with a stinging plant.

If a woman watched any process in the making of the costume then she would be killed.

The ROM mask consists of a tall, conical, brightly painted, banana fiber mask, with a face that resembles a baboon.  Each side is unique and clearly shows the fight between good and evil.  The top part is adorned with feathers, leaves, and flowers.

The dancer’s bodies are adorned in a thick, somewhat intimidating cloak of dried bananas leaves.  In their hand they carry hand woven, cone shaped weapons to ward off evil spirits.

Each costume, especially the mask is made with great sorcery and embedded with magic.

High ranking chiefs and warriors who dance alongside the Rom dancers wearing nambas.  They will often wear red flowers in their hair to symbolize pride, majesty, knowledge and strength, as well as a boar tooth necklace to indicate power and wealth.

Some chiefs will wear a namale leaf on their back to convey peace, while others wear white bird feathers to suggest both peace and safety.

The Rights to the Mask

Only men who are of a certain grade can buy the rights to make a mask.  When a man wishes to ascend the village hierarchy, he must purchase (with pigs and money) the rights to learn how to make the mask and embed it with spirits and power.  They will create a pattern and spend an extensive amount of time learning the rules that determine specific colors and shapes of the mask as well as the type of magic it will possess.

The first mask design will be very simple and will only cost a few pigs and money.  As the man ascends in grades, his mask will become more complicated and will cost a lot more. As the man ascends, he must pay with more pigs and money to learn the teachings of a more complicated designs.  The right to make or wear a sacred mask carries high costs in the Ambrym society.

Once they buy the rights to a design they own it for life.  They will be the only one that can replicate the design, carve the design, and draw the design for eternity.  

Each design has powerful magic embedded into it which is why it is destroyed after the ceremony.  Part of the teaching is not only how to create the mask, but how to embed it with the spirits.  ROM masks usually invoke the spirits of the ancestors and are important agents of social control.

Mass Destruction

Immediately following the ceremony, the creator of the costume will destroy the mask and burn the banana leaves.  They believe that the spirit within lives on and will haunt and plague the wearer if it is not destroyed.

Although, I think that is an ancient belief and practice.  Why do you ask?  Well we were told to tell other cruisers to come anytime to see the ROM dance.  But if it takes 2 weeks to make the costumes and they are destroyed after each ceremony, then how can someone come to see it anytime??

After the ceremony we were allowed to take photos of the costumes.  However, nobody was allowed to get closer than 3 meters.

This website has interesting insight into the ROM mask.

Coming up next is the very exciting ROM dance which was a profound and riveting privilege to witness.

Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind actual live events.  The ROM dance at the Fanla Festival took place on 11 July 2024.  Did you read about Fanla, the authentic kastom village where the ROM dance takes place?