S1-E56: Vanuatu: Path to Nowhere

When Georg and his companions ascend toward Tanna’s smoking volcano, they expect only ash and elevation. But the journey draws them into the deeper landscape of local life: a world where botanical abundance grows from slag, and where each path is chosen—or obscured—with intent.

**Poised between welcome and warning—Tanna’s warriors stand not just with weapons, but with centuries of memory and unspoken law. – Click on the image to listen to this episode on YouTube.**

The island’s black tourmaline sand burns the eyes but nourishes the land, making Tanna’s vegetation lush beyond belief. The same volcano that threatens life also makes it thrive. But while the soil reveals its secrets, the people remain guarded. Hospitality is genuine, but carefully bounded. Trails wind back to where they began. Friendly guides deflect questions or steer the foreigners away from sacred or dangerous zones.

Cannibalism is no longer whispered, but spoken outright. Yet this cruelty seems born not of hunger, but of vengeance—of a society where justice is personal and wounds are generational. And amid the unease, small gestures shine: a father’s proud smile as his daughter receives a gift, a boy’s quick help in the gardens, a shell axe held out for inspection.