What Is the Origin of Bungee Jumping?
Bungee jumping is a popular, thrilling activity that has its origins in ancient ritual. The practice, as we know it today, began with a 4-man team from Oxford University.
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Definition
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Bungee jumping is the activity of jumping from a tall structure while attached to an elastic cord. While jumping, the cord stretches and the jumper repeatedly rebounds up and down.
History
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Before it was called "bungee jumping," the activity was part of the fertility rites of the people of Vanuatu, who for centuries had been jumping from towers with vines tied around their ankles.
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History in Other Cultures
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A similar, slower, version of bungee jumping is a traditional practice in Mexico, known as the "Danza de los Voladores de Papantla" in which men descend from a pole with rope attached to their feet.
Modern Times
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A team of four men from the Oxford University Sports Club made the first modern bungee jump in 1979 by jumping from the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, U.K.
Commercial Bungee Jumping
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In 1988 AJ Hackett opened the world's first commercial, public bungee jumping site in Queenstown, New Zealand.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Shahram Sharif
