Cargo Cults

One of the most worshipped gods of the South Pacific has a name most wouldn't expect out of the region, but "John Frum" has become quite the powerful force in the spirituality of the lands of Melanesian-language speaking peoples. During World War II, supply drops for troops island hopping across the Pacific often landed off their mark supplying often uncontacted tribes with items of unimaginable packaging like canned peaches, first aid kits, and bars of chocolate.

As a result of the relatably perplexing phenomenon of medicine dropping from the skies, peoples across the region began developing theories that some being from a divine race were providing the islanders with life-saving medicine and exotic foods in cargo crates and tin cans; and thus was born "Cargo Cults" in which Late 20th Century Pacific Islanders began building shrines and altars to the gods who delivered the divine cargo.

It's not entirely clear where "John Frum" came from, but Vanuatuans claimed John Frum came from "South America" and was likely an American GI named John "from" the American South and his followers believed he would one day return to the island with more divine cargo, but some research claims "John Frum" worship began as early as the 1910's. In either case, belief and practice in Cargo Cults has diminished over the years and only a few dedicated followers remain among scattered alters like the one pictured here in Vanuatu to a perplexing spiritual movement born "frum" a mysterious visitor named John.