The Mystery of the Rom and dance festival dates



 
Article written by Pippa Kerby and Matt Cattanach

Ambrym Island is famous for its active volcanoes, beautiful wood carvings and as the centre of sorcery and black magic.  Another reason to venture to this mysterious island is the spectacular and colourful Rom Dance.

For those who don’t know it, the Rom is a powerful and mysterious dance.  Dancers wear brightly coloured masks and hide beneath a cloak made from dried banana leaves.  A giant carved wooden gong known as a tam tam provides a rhythmic beat to accompany the stomping and chanting of the dancers.  This enchanting dance has been performed since the dawn of time. 

“The first Rom mask was made by a woman to gain the love of a man but the man stole the mask from her and kept it for himself,” said Chief Harry Magewil.

“He then when on to sell the rights to other men and to this day the Rom mask is tabu for woman to make or touch,” said Chief Harry Magewil.

These days men continue to sell the rights to others that want to learn how to make the costume and perform the Rom dance.  A man renowned as a great Rom mask maker can earn good money for passing on his skills and knowledge to Rom initiates. Each initiate must find their own mentor and negotiate a payment of pigs and money.

The system of selling rights to make the Rom costume is not just about making money, it is actually a highly formalized system of intellectual property rights. It also serves to ensure Rom costume production standards are maintained and local culture is preserved.

After payment has been settled the clandestine preparations for the dance can take more than two weeks and are carried out in a secret location in the jungle. The area is fenced off by coconut leaves and marked as taboo using the leaves of the nanggalat (stinging plant) to ward off any trespassers.

The unraveling of the secrets of the Rom takes place in a traditional thatched hut where the initiates learn to make the costume from local materials. The intricate coreography, powerful tam tam rythms and mysterious chants of the dance are also passed on.

“As well as learning about the dance it is a time of comradery for the men, with story telling, drinking kava and feasting on Island food,” said George Bumseng from Fanrereo village.

After weeks of preparation the big day finally arrives.  All the dancers are wearing their brightly coloured masks and are hidden beneath their banana leaf cloaks. Accompanying the men are experienced Rom dancers who wear only a nambas (penis sheath) and a flower in their hair demonstrating their high status. Onlookers gather around the performance ground (nasara) and wait in silence. The tension in the air is soon broken as the dancers begin their loud chanting and foot stomping. The stomping stirs up clouds of dust which shrouds the dancers as they follow each other in fluid and dynamic movements across the nasara

The drummers now take their places at the giant tam tams and strike up a rhythm that seems to take hold of the dancers.

It is said that the dancers represent a spirit and as they glide across the nasara in their costumes it’s easy to why this belief exists. At the end of the dance each costume is burned to ensure that the spirit does not haunt or impersonate the dancer. Consequently there are few Rom costumes or masks in existence.

Chief Magekon from an old custom village on Ambrym Island said “Now that I own the right to the Rom I can sell it on to others to generate income for my family and to pay the school fees.”

Other men perform the Rom dance for different reasons.  “I have performed lots of different types of Rom and feel the community has more respect for those men that have completed the different dances.  It is a kind of way to raise your status within the community” said Chief Harry Magewil from Ranvetlam.

Others perform the Rom to continue the customs of the island.  “I want to continue to perform the Rom and teach the younger generation how to perform it, as it is an important part of the traditional culture and custom here on Ambyrm Island,” said Chief Job.

The Rom will be performed in three villages in North Ambrym throughout 2006. Flights from Port Vila to Ambrym Island (Craig Cove) leave three times a week.  A scenic boat ride from Craig Cove to North Ambrym takes two hours. Bungalow accommodation is available for your stay.  Although it is tabu for tourists to see the Rom costumes being prepared locals welcome visitors to the final dance.

The authentic Tatapi Rom Dance will be performed in Ranvetlam on the night of Tuesday June 20 and the morning of Wednesday June 21.  The Rom Dance is a mysterious and powerful performance where dances hide behind a cloak made from dried banana leaves and brightly painted masks.  A giant carved wooden gong known as a tam tam provides a rhythmic beat to accompany the stomping and chanting of the dances.

The event will take place on the Ranvetlam football field.  There will also be a fundraising event on June 21 including a sting band show.  A 5 day/4 night inclusive packages start from:  20000 vatu per person (approx: 220AUD). This includes Rom dance, 4 nights bungalow accommodation, 3 meals a day, bush discovery walk and village tour.   

For more information, e-mail pippamatt@vanuatu.com.vu or phone Isaiah Bong on (678) 48687.