UN/VcRSITY I• '' t RARY. "
Volume 3, Number l, Autumn, 1995
Sacred Site Commemorated
Below is the text ofa proposed plaque to be placed at a sacred site disturbed by the construction ofthe Australian Embassy Residence in Dolonier, Nett. · The Division of Historic Preservation and Cul tural Affairs assisted with the content, while the Embassy ofAustralia will provide the plaque itself 50m We would like to encourage people to respect this important cultural site and enjoy the scenic beauty and the spirit of the place while visiting it.
Merein lap
In this area, where the Australian Embassy SK.f,tcfi of tfie La'f/lt !Features of Merein lap Residence Compound rests and in particular 1 where you are now standing, there once stood Site, 'lJownur, 'l{f,tt !Municipailty a sacred site known as a merei (an area where the spirits and humans meet and communi "melody or the voice of Pohnpei (Ngilen cate). The name of the site isMerien lap (Merei Pohnpei)." The ceremonies at this site were of lap; lap refers generally to land downwind performed on a seasonal basis. of Pohnpei). Pohnpei's principle deity, Daukatau (High Lord of the Land), was wor Next on your plaque is a sketch of the remains shipped atMerien lap in the past by Pohnpeians of the merei before the residency was built who had associations with Iapatang (literally, here. moving land; society of supernatural beings from outside of Pohnpei). In addition to Although the physical site is gone, it is us, the prayers and chants, singing and dancing and living people, who can restore and rejuvenate stamping of feet were included in the ritual the vitality of sacred places' remains like this activities performed at Merein lap. The one. Let us commemorate and celebrate our Pohnpeian traditional dance, wen, originated traditions by paying this site the respect it is ~c. due. DL-1 here and this sacred site is believed to hold the 5LPB Pl ,\34- Nahlikend En Leng p.2
Sakau en Pohnpei kin pidada songen kasarawi tohto, Tuke en Wahu, Tiahk nohpwei kan, de doadoahk teikan koaros me kin wiawi sang mehn Pohnpei nan Pohnpei wet. oh Peren me iei Sakau let ekei songen doadoahk kan me sakau kin iang doadoahk loahle. Kasarawi, kowou, kaudoak, tomw, en Pohnpei ohlu, wini, peren, welien lit, oh komwurumwur. Rahn -Y asuo I. Yamada oh Kasiano Santos wet sakau pil wialahr men wie sent ni netimpwon de me . wiawidongehr nan ihmwen net en sakau kan. Tuhke en Tuhke pwoatet me inenen kesempwaJ oh eh pilipilda wahu pwoatet pil kin doadoahk ki elep lepin masen en sang nan pwungen tuhke tohto nan Pohnpei pwe en wia Pohnpei me masahni tuhke en kepengpeng me wewehki tehte en sapweJimen Pohnpei tiahk oh wahu. Rahn kak seweseki aramas nin sohte pweipwei. Rahn wet eh pwukat sakau pil wialahr men wie kisin sent oh men solahr kak kepengpeng pwehki e wia kapaien peneinei peren de kelitepw rehn aramas ngeder. tohto nan Pohnpei me pid sent.
Kosoipen tuhke pwoatet me inenen tohto oh kesempwel Nohpwei en sakau kin dokedokeNanmwarki, Nahnken, ong momour en mehn Pohnpei. Nan dorepw~ wet, . Sou mas en Kousapw, Peliendal, oh a.rail Lielikend kan. kitail pahn mwahngipene ekis kisehn kosoi kan me Ansou me irail pwukat sohte ket ah nohpwei en Sakau pidada tuhke pwoatet. kin kak dohke lapalap teikan nan Serihso, Oloiso, oh Konot kan. Nopwei en Sakau iei me pwukat: Tuhke pwoatet eh sohte udahn dehde iawasa me eh tepisang ie mwohn ah lelodohng Pohnpei. let ekei kosoi me pidada wasa me dene sakau tepisang ie:
1. Opwoat kosoio kosoia me tuhke pwoatet tepisang ni kilin pahn nehn Widenengar. 2. Opwoat kosoia me tuhke pwoatet sang ni kilesis en keimwin nehn Luhk. 3. Opwoat kosoia me seripein men me kawelialikihda ah elin Jipwokel ieu ong Luhk oh serepeino ahpw uhd oahdepoupou kihdo oh kaipwidiong Ninepiep de 1. Pwelin Sakau iei keieu en dalen Sakau oh eh kin kapwon, ansouet ih wasa me Blue Magic Bar mi ie. doakedoakebteN ahnmwarkinan Weihn Madolenihmw, 4. Opwoat kosoiamedene sakau kohdo sang Pesihko oh U oh Kitti. Nan Weihn Nett oh Sokehs pwelin Sakau met mwein iei Fiji. kin doke Nahnmwarki oh Nahnken. 2. Are en Sakau kin doke N ahnken te oh Serihso kan nan Eden tuhke pwoatet me pil tohto iet ekei: Weihn Madolenihmw, U, oh Kitti. Nan Weihn Sokehs oh Nett are en Sakau kin koing Lielikend kan. J. Ni a podidier, wosadahr, kalodier, rahpesengehr, teh 3. Esil en Sakau kin koieng Lieliken kan nan Weihn kan molomoalahr oh rotongidier wasa, tuhke poatet Madolenihmw oh U. Weihn Kitti, esil en Sakau wia adaneki Rotepwel. Deleo Kupwur iew oh kin kalapw Oloiso oh Serihso kan 2. N1 ah sansaradahr oh mohsada wasao, wasao uhd de pi I Ko not teihkan. Weihn Sokehs, esil en Sakau wia adaneki Lengepwel. seken serihso kan. Nan Weihn Nett, esil en Sakau kin 3. Ni tuhke pwoatet a sansaradah oh wesikdohngehr kolahng Menin Deiras oh me wie Koanot kan arail wasahn doadoahk eh uhd adaneki Sinahni. kepin konot ob iei me adaneki Dipen kolou. 4. N1 ah kohlongehr nan Nabs tuhke Pwoatet uhd 4. Kapaiew en dalen Sakau inenen wekpeseng ni ah kin adaneki Sak.au. doadoahk nan Pohnpei. Nan Wein Madolenihmw oh U 5. Sakau pil wewehki litop me aramas kin alehdi mwurin oh Sokehs, dahl kapaiew wia Sopwehn Konot de arail kin kang sakau. Sopwehn Sakau. Nan Weihn Onohnleng (Kitti rahn 6. Tuhke pwoatet wiawida ni pihl ahpw sohte me kin wet) kapaiew en Dahl de epeng en Sak.au kin koieng nim ahpw aramas kin kang sakau. Lihelikend kan. Nan Weihn Nett, da.h l en Sakau kapaiew (peusila pali 5) Nah/ikend En Leng p.3 Our Outer Islands a small craft went to transport Governor David and his The Field Trip Ship Officers from the ship to the shore. Upon landing they passed through rows of people standing on both sides of Micro Glory the path from the beach waving palm fronds, singing -Lerleen David and Emensio Eperiam gospel songs, and clasping flower leis in their hands.
The field trip ship Micro Glory, pulled up anchor fro~ After the Governor's arrival at the Municipal Building, Pohnpei at 6:30 pm on September21, 1995, and steamed speeches were made, followed by a public meeting. east as the sun diminished below the horizon. Destina After the meeting, a huge feast was held in honor of the tion? The outer islands of Mwoakilloa and Pingelap. Governor. There were no platters of "Shrimp, Shrimp, With the ship cruising at 9 to 13 knots, the trip was to andMore Shrimp" served at the feast, but the variety of cover five days and the 104 miles to Mwoakilloa and island treats and seafood delicacies offered dispelled 163 miles to Pingelap, one way. any sense of loss.
We sailed into the star-filled skyline of the Pacific The field trip ship Micro Glory is important to the Ocean with about 150 passengers on board. Among us· people on the outer islands of Mwoakilloaand Pingalap were The Honorable Johnny P. David, Governor of for many reasons. It is used for transportation and for Pohnpei State, along with a handful of his cabinet delivering goods to and from the islands. As Governor Officers. Alsoontbetripwcremyself (LcrleenDavid), Johnny P. David stated in his last State of the state Retty Lawrence and AndoI in Andreas from the HP&CA. address. the field trip ship is "the highway to the outer islands." The sight of Mwoakilloa Atoll ro!>e on the eastern horizon with the sun the following day. Because there Although the outer islanders still prefer their own local is no deep channel into Mwoak.illoa's lagoon, the ship foods. such as taro and breadfruit, they rely on the ship could not moor. It was left adrift while passengers and for what they now also consider staples like flour and cargo were off-loaded onto small boats waiting in the sugar. Because residents enjoy fish more than canned swells of the Pacific Ocean. meats. they need the ship to bring gasoline for fishing and to enable them to visit other islands. Before noon, the entire population of the atoll met at the multi-purpose Municipal Building to greet the Gover While Pacific Misionary Airlines runs a small airline nor and his Cabinet Officers and hold a public meeting. that services both Mwoakillao and Pingelap twice a Retty and Andolin conducted reconnaissance surveys week, the once-monthly Micro Glory remains the major for eleven housing projects while I attended to the source of transportation between the islands because of beauty of the island and its people. Before darkness fell, its low cost and large capacity. the ship quietly sailed away from Mwoakilloa and 1580 E headed for Pingelap.
Cj Oroluk The Captain sighted Pingelap at mid-night in the heavy Podn ·~~npe• Anl (I' showers that welcomed the vessel to this isolat!!d, all Mwoakilloav Christian atoll. Like Mwoakilloa, Pingelap does not Nga1ik ~ I P1ngelap have deep channels, so again the ship was left adrift. As .,. 'f' nobody was allowed to de-board the ship in the dark, we awaited the brightness of that late September, Saturday morning. 0
All 600or so residents of Pingelap had prepared for this trip, not only because the ship brought goodies, friends, and relatives, but also because the Micro Glory bore their Governor, who they had had only one other oppor- 0 tunity to sec during his four-year term. At about 9ar:i:i. Kapmg.amarnne• Nablikend En Leng p.4
HP&CA Educational Lidorkini Museum and gave them a presentation of the museum's exhibit concerning the Nan Madol Update ruins as well as the Lidorkini's other exhibits. The -Emensio Eperiam following day, they all went to Nan MadoJ itself for a site visit. This activity is part of the PCS's Social The education of Pohnpeian youth about our his Studies lesson that the HP&CA was asked to help tory, traditional knowledge. culture and tradi .with. The same activity will be extended to the tional skills is a priority at the Pohnpei State school's sixth graders later this month. The seventh Division of Historic Preservation and Cultural and eighth graders will visit the museum and ruins Affairs (HP&CA). Following are two ofthe activi in November. We hope that these visits helped ties engaged in by this office in our continuing bring the rich history and culture of the Nan Madol effort to continue our traditions. ruins and their spirit alive for the students who attended the tours. Traditional Education Training . On September 20, 1995, Dr. Rufino Mauricio, the ·we would like to encourage any individual or FSM National Historic Preservation Officer, and organization interested in similar activities to con Mr. Emensio Eperiam, the Chief of the HP&CA, tact the HP&CA. met with Mr. Keropin David, an elementary school principle, and Mr. Kasiano Santos, a traditional chief and local historian. The meeting was sched Dolen Leng uled as a result of a request by Mr. David and Mr. ·Lisa R. Andon Santos for assistance in designing a program to educate the youth of their section of Kitti about After many months of sweltering climbs, lugging traditional Pohnpeian knowledge and skills. It was his equipment (or bribing other HP&CA staff to do atTanged during the meeting that Dr. Mauricio and so with promises of soft drinks and snacks) through Mr. Eperiam will draft a proposal based on the dense vegetation, up the face of a small mountain, interests and concerns expressed by Mr. David and Mr. Hiroyuki Saito, Japan Oversea~ Cooperation Mr. Santos and meet again in mid-October. VoJunteer with the HP&CA, has completed his survey of the Dolen Leng site. Translated literally, School Tours Dolen Leng means the "Mountain of Heaven" and On October 10, 1995, the Divisio~ Chief of the the terraced stone complex, similar in construction HP&CA took thirty-two fourth grade students from to Nan Madol, once served as the residence of the the Pohnpei Catholic School (PCS) to the Pohnpei high chief of the Poahloang area of Kitti Munici pality. At one point in the history of Pohnpei, Poahloang stood as an independent section of Pohnpei and only submitted to being a part of Kitti after warfare.
The current landowners at the site plan to develop it into an educational site and tourist attraction. They hope to inform visitors about the history of Poahloang and Pohnpei and requested theHP&CA's assistance in discovering the original configura tion of the fallen stones so that they could restore the complex as accurately as possible. Nan Dowas islet of the Nan Madol Ru.ins Nahlikend En Leng p.5
. ~~ (sang pali 5) ni ah kin kawekaweid sukusukidi de kamutimutdi eq Tuhke me kin doke sang kisin Sakau pahkis et de Sakau me metionger pohn peitehlap. Mwurin Sokama dokopeseng Sakau en Enilap adaneki Lakaukot me kin de pod iet ekei riwes: Kapilen oh pwopw wale. sang tuhke Kirikei de Weipwul. Delen Sak.au kin pil adaneki Kowahn Sakau. Kowahn Pwoikar metiei tehnwed paiew me kin kodieng nanpwel Sakau iei pondal me kamwakeldahr ong wie Sak.au. ni pengepengen peitehlap de poaisoan. rahn pwukat aramas tohto pil kin doadoahngki ahd me inda Ngarangar. Rahn wet pwehki ah manlahr oh Peite/ap kan kinmeh weneu nanehu Nabs. Sapwclimen wewelahr rehn aramas tohto me ngarangar iei delen Mwohnsapw oh Soumas en Kousapw peitehlap kin Sakau ah met kitail kakehr pit pwungkibda mendahte adaneki Soumohl de pelen mwahu. ma ngarangar kaidehkin ahd ehu me sohte kin doadoahk ong sakau kawahu. Sapwelimen Iso Nahken oh Paliendal dePe lien Ewendid iei Pelien Soumohl de Pelen kedu. Peitelap teikan Pilen Sakau me kin keredihla ni keilen peitehlap, ekei adaneki Uhpeiuh, Uhpeileng, Kenekuh, oh aramas kin kosoia Karat en Sakau. Uhpeimwahu. Ire pwukat me Nahlikend En Leng men sawaski nan Ruwes en wie konot kan me pit tohto oh iel ekei: • issuewetohpekipekkarakarahkwiawiongirailkanme Sukusuk, kohdi, keidihd, sokamah. de pod oh liki. Met mwangi en ketinkainenehla pwe pira.ki mese pwahpwah. mwes kan ensususuk. Ruwes pwukat ahn Menindei Uh ••••••••••• • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• This newsletter has been financed in part by the National Nahlikend En Leng editorial staff Parks Service. However the contents and opinions in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of this agency, nor does lhe mention of trade names or commer Editors Lisa Ranahan Andon cial products constitute endorsement or recommendation of Lerleen David them. Contributors Andolin Andreas Emensio Eperiam Regulations of the US. Department of the Interior prohibit discrimination in departmental Federally Assisted Programs Retty Lawrence on the basis of race. color, national origin, age or handicap. Roster Lemuel Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated Rufino Mauricio against in any program, activity, or facility operated by a Hiroyuki Saito recipient of Federal As~1stance should write to: Director, Kasiano Santos Equal Opportunity Program, US. Department of the Interior, National Parks Service, P.O. Box 37 L27, Washington, D.C. Yasuo I. Yamada ' 20013-7127. The Department of Land , Division of HP&CA Pohnpei State Government P.O. Box 158 Kolonia Pohnpei, Fin 96941 University of Hawaii Library Serials Department __ 2550 The Mall Honolulu, HI 96822