I had the extraordinary privilege of joining an expedition through Polynesia and Melanesia, with one particularly unforgettable stop on Ambrym Island in Vanuatu, where I witnessed the sacred ROM dance.

The ROM dance is a powerful ancestral ceremony performed by men adorned in elaborate banana-leaf costumes and striking conical masks made of banana fiber. This ritual embodies ancestral spirits and recounts age-old stories of good versus evil. As the steady rhythm of tam tams and shakers fills the air, dancers portraying dark spirits emerge—cloaked in layers of dried banana leaves and vividly painted masks that evoke both awe and fear.

Through chants and movement, the ROM dance communicates the unique cultural and regional identity of Ambrym. Elders closely guard its meanings, preserving it as an ancient rite filled with esoteric knowledge. The masks themselves are symbols of power and are integral to various ceremonial rites, including initiations and circumcisions. Every detail—from the choreography to the costumes—carries deep symbolic meaning.

High-ranking chiefs and warriors often join the performance, adorned with red flowers in their hair to signify pride, wisdom, majesty, and strength. Boar tusk necklaces symbolize status and wealth, while some wear a namale leaf on their back to represent peace. Others don white bird feathers, emblematic of both peace and protection.

The sounds, the stomping, the energy—it all came together in a visceral, almost otherworldly experience. One that will remain etched in my memory forever.