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Pentecost, which gets its name from the day on which it was first sighted by Europeans, is a mountainous, tropical island in the South Pacific republic of Vanuatu. There are no towns on Pentecost - most of the islanders live in small villages and grow their own food in small gardens. Parts of Pentecost remain relatively untouched by Western influences, and local traditions are strong. The island is the home of the nanggol (land diving) - the original bungee jump - which is known throughout the world. The ceremony, taking place between April and June, celebrates the first yam crop emerging. From tall towers constructed of saplings and branches held together with forest vines, the men leap forward and down to touch the earth below.
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