Last April 2021, the United Kingdom mourned the passing of Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip. While condolences came from all over the globe, there was one spot that seemed to be even more devastated by the news than even in some places in the UK. After all, they considered the handsome Prince, to be some sort of deity.
The place we’re talking about is the Tana island in Vanuatu, in the Pacific Ocean near Australia. For decades, the native population has praised the Queen’s husband as a religious figure; perhaps, the only place in the world where Philip was more loved than even the Queen or Princess Diana. The main reason is the resemblance his story has with an ancient local legend that made the population of Tana believe, he was some sort of promised messiah.
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Legend has it, there was once a white-skinned demigod, son of a mountain god, who crossed the big ocean to meet a powerful woman he would then marry. After some time, the god would return home and grant the land with blessings. The character seemed to fit perfectly with Prince Philip, and around the 60s, a religious sect called the Prince Philip Movement was officially settled.
The Native population of Tana has deliberately kept their traditions and costumes intact despite colonization and the many attempts to westernize the Island. Things we call amenities like electricity or other forms of technology have been rejected by the Tana people, but something from the West that really got stuck into the Tana culture was this cult and praising for Philip. But why?
For anthropologists and historians, one possible reason beyond the similarities between the ancient Tana legend and the Duke of Edinburgh is that the Prince Philip Movement evolved as a mechanism to deal with the colonization of the Western World. In other words, they suggest that by taking Philip’s figure and molding it into their belief system, they’re re-appropriating colonization.
It could be, but it seems that many of the followers of this religious movement saw Philip as a promised figure capable of bestowing the people of Tana with benefits and even the power for bigger worldwide matters like placing a black man in the presidency of the United States.
The Prince Philip Movement started around the sixties or seventies (depending on the version) after Prince Philip was photographed holding a ceremonial club gifted by the people of Tana. Today, that club is considered one of the greatest treasures on the land, but more importantly, it was seen by them as an acknowledgment of Philip’s connection with the village.
The curious thing is that Prince Philip never visited the island and though he was infamously known for his colonialist attitudes and constant offensive tones when referring to native populations, it seems that he always maintained a sweet and friendly relationship with the Tana people. It’s said, that the Duke of Edinburgh shared letters and gifts every year. The Tana people always hoped Philip would visit the island and fulfill the prophecy of the legend.
Though it didn’t happen, for them, as Jack Malia (chief of a tribe in Tana) explained, it was clear that when the day came of Philip’s ‘return’ “the people will not be poor, there will be no sickness, no debt and the garden will be growing very well.” And that reflects what extent the image of Philip was for these people, a deity that would bless the land with good crops and all sorts of benefits for the good people of Tana.
Now, that Prince Philip has passed, questions about how the religious movement will understand his death have risen. Some believe he will still be praised as a holy figure, while others guess Prince Charles could take the spot as his father’s successor. The heir to the throne did visit the island once and he was named an honorary chief. Still, it’s unlikely a deity-like figure will simply change names.
