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Posted on September 21, 2008 by lyn | Posted under Politics
Taboos That Keep People Away From All Sorts of Different Areas
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Taboos can cover: · Gestures · Diet · Work ethics · Death · Marriage · Sexual activities · Illicit drugs · Birth · Health · Circumcision · Relationships · Forms of greeting · Exposure of body parts · Offensive language · Body functions Some taboos began over nothing more than the fear of a demonic force. Over a period of time the taboos evolved through acts of legal, religious or social authority. Some are totally irrational, while others serve a real purpose. Some observers may react with a jaw-dropping emotion of disgust, when observing a foreign taboo, but it is frequently only in the enforcing of the taboos, that protects the safety of the rest of the group. On Tuesday 16th September, the celebration day for Penama province, in the tropical islands of Vanuatu in the South Pacific, a peace ceremony was performed. The unsuccessful candidate in the recent elections, Chief Molbarab, had been counting on votes from the Vanuatu Agricultural and Technical Centre, in the general election. When the votes did not come through as expected, tension was rapidly created between Chief Molbarab's family and the Centre. It was alleged the Chief would place namele leaves at the entrance to the Centre, effectively closing the Centre down. Namele leaves from the Chief's Palm, are the perfect deterrent. In Vanuatu's ancient culture, if two leaves are crossed and placed at the entrance to a business, the staff will adamantly refuse to enter the property. The business will be ground to a resounding halt, until such time as the dispute is cleared up. Namele leaves and pig tusks are both seen on the Vanuatu flag. Pig tusks for the symbol of wealth and namele leaves for peace. However, the namele leaves have a double purpose. They are a sign of peace, as well as a taboo. If a senior village family, or person, feels they have an ownership to a particular fruiting tree, all they have only to tie a namele leaf on the trunk. Should anyone dare to partake of the forbidden fruit, they will be liable to a fine, imposed on them by the chief of the village. A dental clinic in Vanuatu fell into a dispute and two namele leaves were crossed over the door. In spite of the fact than many patients have to walk miles for an appointment at the clinic, the business was forced to grind to a halt. The clinic remained firmly closed until such time as the dispute was settled. In another incident in the Vanuatu islands, a dispute rose over the illegal use of some land as a village garden. The chief owning the property placed several sets of crossed namele leaves around the property, then killed a pig over the top of the leaves, in order to make the taboo of the leaves doubly strong. The offenders, who had been using the land as a vegetable garden, were ordered by the chief, to pay one pig each, for wrongful use of the land. When the six offenders dared to refuse to obey the custom law, they were hauled into white man's court and ended up being banned from using the land, forced to pay the full court costs for the defendant, plus still owing the chief a pig each. The namele leaves are just one of the many varied taboos which are threaded throughout the exotic and ancient culture of Vanuatu, the 'Must See' adventure travel destination of the South Pacific. About The Author: Dr Wendy Stenberg-Tendys and her husband are CEO's of YouMe Support Foundation Vanuatu, are providing a once in a lifetime Blue Moon Opportunity, so as to give high school education grants. You can make a real difference in the lives of some really great kids. Take a few minutes to check it an opportunity you can't afford to miss, Win a Resort |
Tags: GENERAL ELECTIONS VANUATU, NAMELE LEAVES, PEACE CEREMONY, PEACE SIGN, PIGS TUSKS, SOUTH PACIFIC, TABOO, TROPICAL ISLANDS, VANUATU, VANUATU CULTURE
