Vagabonds: Anthology of the Mad Ones Vagabonds Vol. 3 | Page 27

And wherever John Frum cultists are, especially in the former “New
Hebrides,” there are pro-American barefoot GI reinactors with bamboo
rifles and Bald Eagle tattoos raising the “Old Glory.”
James Michener’s book Tales of the South Pacific, upon which the
famous Rogers and Hammerstein musical is based, is still one of the most
popular reads among locals. Probably because not much has changed since
World War II. Even so, anthropologists believe the cult today is based
upon a much older belief system involving European colonialists who did
not work hard like the locals but instead wrote down lists on paper, before
magical Christmas Day-like supplies and largesse were landed for
everyone.
As I journeyed with John past coral reefs and virgin beaches on
deserted islands called “motus,” we pulled up in front of some palms and
set about capturing lunch.
John dug a hole in the sand and filled it with corals, then after
catching a bunch of glittery fish in his net, he set about lighting the “umu”
with some dead palm leaves. With fresh coconut juice dripping like jism
down his mouth, John cooked us up a feast fit for a drill sergeant.
I felt a little like a losing contestant on “Survivor.”
But then John pulled out a bottle of wretched vin de table imported
from French Polynesia and said, “Can you open this?” Luckily my handy
dandy Swiss Army Knife had a rudimentary corkscrew.
But I think it was the “can opener” he was most into.
Lightly pressing John for more info on the cult, I waited until he
settled upon with gravitas, “I guess John Frum is our Jesus. We believe in
both of them. . . .”
Then John produced out of nowhere some “Kava,” a mildly
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