Volcano Tour: Our guide is the chief

In 2012, Liang Hong and I started a relationship. On the last stop of that year, we came to Vanuatu in the South Pacific, where there is the Marum volcano known as the "Gateway to Heaven". Here we successfully challenged the abseil in the active volcano crater and became the first Chinese team to complete the abseil here.

This life-defying journey is full of hardships and excitement. The acquaintance with the indigenous guide Joyce also brought many interesting and tender moments.

The guide is a tribal chief

Is it a blessing or a curse?

After landing in Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, our guide Pascal told us that he would not go to the volcano with us. The reason is that in Vanuatu, which has a colonial history of more than a hundred years, the indigenous people still do not like white people. But he put us in touch with Joyce, the guide who took us up the volcano. This man is the leader of the local indigenous people, and the island where the Malum volcano is located belongs to him. Whether it is his tribe or outsiders like us, when they go to the island, he controls all the power of life and death.

"To conquer Marum Volcano, you need to conquer the local indigenous people first. Otherwise, they will give you darts and swords, and finally throw your bodies into the volcano." The guide Pascal said solemnly say.

Pascal told us that there was once a group of New Zealanders who were hunted down by the indigenous people of Ambrim Island because they desecrated the volcano and the indigenous totems and gods.

Before arriving at the tribe of the indigenous guide, I have been wondering what kind of people they are. Do they still live a life of eating hair and drinking blood? Will they surround us with bows, arrows and spears, and will they allow us to climb Mount Marum? Would Joyce, in particular, have long hair, a mask, a grass skirt, and animal bones embedded in her body? My mind is filled with worries.

It wasn’t until we came to the tribe and saw Joyce’s true face that I felt a little more relieved. A middle-aged man in his 30s, with a kind face, wearing a slightly hip-hop outdoor sportswear, he is a completely modern urbanite. But the others are pretty much what we imagined: wearing straw hats and covered with leaves. Everyone is barefoot.

We greet everyone with a smile because we firmly believe that sincerity and smile are universal languages. Joyce came up to chat with us. He was very talkative. Although our English level was not high, from the communication with him, I found that he was a very open-minded person. There is a sense of atmosphere in his movements. He told us that he and his tribe are very friendly people who work at sunrise and rest at sunset to guard the jungle.

We found some small gifts that we carried with us and gave them to them, but they were not interested in these impractical gifts. Just when we were in embarrassment, they took the initiative to ask if they could give us a cigarette, took out the cigarettes and handed them out quickly. Later I learned that smoking is a luxury here. The natives were very happy and smoked one stick after another. In less than an hour, we established an initial rapport over two cigarettes.

The tribal chief helped us realize our dream

Joyce told us that Malum volcano is the entrance to heaven. If someone dies in this volcano, the soul will enter through this volcano. To heaven.

After seeing the crater, we understood why this place is called "The Gate of Heaven". The magnificence of Malum is enough to make all languages ​​pale.

The bodies of successive chiefs of the tribe at the foot of the mountain were all sent into the volcano, including Joyce’s father. Many years later, he will also sleep in the volcano.

Joyce walked to the corner of our camp and worshiped devoutly in front of an altar with a bull skull, chanting a few words in Bislama. Joyce said that the bull-headed skull is the totem of their tribe. This was put up by his father, who was praying for us just now.

Before we could recover from the shock of the spectacular volcano, the typhoon came. We hurriedly set up tents under the pouring acid rain. At that time, we did not know that we would be accompanied by acid rain for the next eight days.

We endured the miserable wind and rain for five days, all wet. Joyce lived and ate with us. Every time I made a meal, I would always let Joyce and the others serve it first. During this period, Joyce couldn't stand it any longer and asked to go down the mountain. Joyce also advised us to go down first. He was afraid that the wind would continue to increase and we might be blown into the crater. After much thought, we decided to stay behind and agreed with Joyce that they would come back when the typhoon subsided.

Joyce kept his promise and returned to the volcano on the 5th day, but although the weather conditions were better than the previous few days, it was still not a good time to abseil. Joyce always advised us not to take risks. After getting along for a few days, we respected each other and took care of each other. Joyce said: "I think you Chinese people are all good people. I don't want the few Chinese friends I just made because of this time." An accident occurred while descending the volcano.

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After spending 2 days surveying, we decided to give it a try. Seeing how determined we were, Joyce didn’t say anything more and just silently helped us complete various tasks.

Of course, the rappelling process was thrilling, and I won’t go into details here. But in the end, I still raised the flag with Chinese characters in the Malum volcano.

Joyce was also happy for us, enthusiastic and enthusiastic. We shook hands and hugged. In his opinion, we accomplished a task that he thought was impossible.

We are brothers.

Going down the mountain. The day finally came, but the helicopter that picked us up was unable to land due to weather conditions. This meant that we had to either carry the equipment and walk on, or the helicopter would pick us up again when the weather improved. When we were faced with the dilemma, Joyce offered to take us. We walked down the mountain and asked the tribesmen to come up to help us carry our luggage. This was not the duty of a guide, but he was generous to us. Last time, his father led the tribe to surround the New Zealand expedition team.

It took 7 hours, climbed nine mountains, and waded through several puddles, and finally returned to Joyce’s Ambrim village.

In the night, the villagers stood in costume. They waited for us in the "square" of the village and gave us a welcome ceremony. Joyce said that we successfully went down to the volcano and came out of the volcano. We are warriors, and we are their friends and honored guests. So everyone welcomed us with a wild and festive hula dance. They had actually been waiting for 7 hours.

Everyone also served us kaba wine, which only adult men can drink in the tribe. , to catch the wind for us. Joyce said: "You have conquered the Holy Mountain. In our hearts, you are heroes and warriors. "After saying that, he boldly did it first as a sign of respect.

Joyce called his son in front of me, pointed at him and said to me: "From today on, my son is your son! "

I was a little flattered and didn't know how to answer. Joyce continued: "My daughter is your daughter, my wife..." He paused and we were shocked. We drank too much. Right? He smiled slyly, pointed at Liang Hong and said, "That's your sister. "

I haven't realized what happened. Is this asking for a godfather? Joyce added: "We have friendship, we are brothers. After drinking kava, we have become spiritually connected. "After that, Joyce put his hand on my chest and said that he had just discussed it with the family and he wanted to give me a surname of their family. From now on, we will be a family.

"We are brothers! "Joyce held my hand tightly and said these words easily, but to me it was more like an oath.

Joyce told us the story of New Zealanders. New Zealand It's very close to Vanuatu. People come here almost every year, give some money to the village, and then hire a few natives to work as porters. They have an excessive sense of superiority and are very disrespectful to the natives, calling them around like waiters. , throwing rubbish everywhere, even into the volcano. The most intolerable thing is that they kicked down the indigenous totem-the bull-headed skull.

Tents, ropes, and other things that are useful in the village. It was all left to them. Joyce was very happy when she got the generator and asked me: “Have you ever seen a black beach? "He took me out of the village. In front of me was a very large beach, all black sand, and absolutely beautiful.

Joyce said: "This beach, what you can see now , it’s all yours. "My brother gave me a piece of beach. He promised that when we go there again, he will build us a house on the beach.

Before leaving, Joyce said: "People who speak Chinese , is the best person in the world. ”

In people’s hearts, the indigenous people are primitive and savage. And Joyce gave us his flesh and blood, affectionate and righteous side.