The Cult of John Frum

On the little South Pacific island of Tanna, islanders await the return of an American serviceman named John Frum. A cult has grown up around this mythical figure and many locals worship John Frum. They believe his spirit lives in the active volcano on the island of Tanna.

Members of the cult have a parade every year. They wear homemade US army uniforms. And they carry weapons made of bamboo. Devotees say that an apparition first appeared in the 1930s. It urged tribal elders to reject the teachings of Christian missionaries and to put their faith in their own customs. The Second World War and the arrival of American troops on Vanuatu was a turning point for the John Frum Movement. Villagers believe that their messiah was responsible for delivering the US military and its valuable cargo to them. The movement’s local Chief Isaac Wan calls John Frum a god…

"He’s our Jesus and John will come back."

courtesy of PRI's The World