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Jessica Betz Spring Semester 2016 Comparative Heritage Management Nan Madol Case Study

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Jessica Betz Spring Semester 2016 Comparative Heritage Management Nan Madol Case Study Jessica Betz Spring Semester 2016 Comparative Heritage Management Nan Madol Case Study Description of the Heritage Place Nan Madol is an archaeological site located along the eastern coast of the Pohnpei Island in the Federated States of Micronesia. The core of the site consists of ninety-nine man-made islets covering an area of approximately two hundred acres on top of the tidal reef adjacent to Temwen Island. The islets were constructed around 1,500 years ago by a line of kings known as the Sau Deleurs who ruled Pohnpei for at least 500 years.1 According to ethnographic and ethnohistoric data collected in 1968 and 1977, Nan Madol served as the seat of the Sau Deleurs dynasty in prehistoric times.2 Nan Madol is recognized as part of a larger “district” that encompasses an area of nineteen square miles and includes the remains of residential complexes, ritualistic structures, and tombs.3 The core of the site is the main archeological focus as it is considered to be an important link to furthering our understanding of the workings of early Pohnpeian culture. Enclosing the rectangular core of the site are twelve “seawall” islets. The foundation of these twelve islets is constructed of columnar basalt and large boulders. Inside the walls the islets are raised above sea level by the addition of coral rubble fill which was acquired from the reef flat. On several of the islets there is evidence of post-holes suggesting that there were once wooden structures and thatched roofs constructed on the platforms. These interior islets exhibit a wide range of dimension variation, construction styles, and architectural complexity.4 1 Rufino Mauricio, interview, Archeological Institute of America, Volume 63, Number 3, May/June 2010. http://archive.archaeology.org/1005/etc/conversation.html. 2 ibid. 3 National Parks Service, “National Register of Historic Places Inventory- Nomination Form,” NPS Form 10-900 (3-82), 2. 4 ibid. Oral traditions separate the core site of Nan Madol into two sections; Modal Powe in the upper half and Madol Pah in the lower half. Modal Powe lies in the northeast half of the site and was used for ritual purposes. Within the Modal Powe is Nan Dauas which is located at the eastern edge of the complex and is the best known of the islets within the entire district because of the high integrity of its megalithic architectural style. The islet is 50 x 60 meters long and its walls are constructed of large, naturally prismatic pieces of basalt which are built on top of basalt boulders. The walls reach 8.1 meters and were built using a technique of systematic criss- cross. Many of these basalt columns and boulders are estimated to weigh more than twenty tons.5 The means by which the Pophpeian people were able to engineer and move these massive stones from the quarries, which are located across land and water on the other side of the island, is still unknown.6 According to oral tradition, Nan Dauas was the ritual area and burial grounds for the supreme chiefs of the Sau Deleurs. There have been reports of human bones and “grave goods” collected from the central tomb within Nan Dauas.7 Madol Pah Madol Powe Pahn Kadira & Temple of Nan Kieil Mwahu Nan Dauas 5 ibid. 6 “Ceremonial Centres of the Early Micronesian States: Nan Madol and Lelu,” UNESCO, Tentative List, http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5652/. 7 NPS, 3. Madol Pah is located in lower Nan Madol and is ethnohistorically known for its secular use. Pahn Kadira, traditionally considered to be the most important islet, is located in this section. This L-shaped islet is 12,770 square meters and is believed to have been the residence of the Sau Deleur. It is one of the most complex sites in Nan Madol, consisting of 39 architecturally significant features and 98 sub-features. The largest stone structure on the islet, aside from its surrounding wall, is a traditional house platform called the Temple of Nan Kieil Mwahu (Temple of the good lizard). This platform exhibits the post-holes which indicate the presence of what was once a thatched wooden structure. There are four other house platforms on Pahn Kadira but the most important of these, which is demonstrated by its elaborate walls, is thought to be the actual residence of the ruler.8 Significance and Values of the Heritage Place Nan Madol has often been referred to as the “Venice of the Pacific” because of its man-made islands and ocean filled channels, but the name itself translates roughly as “within the intervals” which refers to the intricate system of canals.9 These tidal canals and waterways were used by the early Pohnpeian people of the Sau Deleurs dynasty for both travel and communication. The ninety-two artificial islands that are identified as architectural units consisting of stone and coral filled platforms were used by the Sau Deleurs as their ritual and residential area. These stone and coral platforms “reflect the residential, ritualistic, and administrative characteristics which differentiated the highest ranking levels of the society.”10 According to an ICOMOS study done on cultural landscapes in the Pacific Islands, the communal labor that was required to build these massive islets and platforms are commonly associated with the emergence of a hierarchical society with all ruling power consolidated under one chief.11 Today the descendants of that early hierarchical society can be seen in the Nahnmwarki of Madolenihmw, one of the five paramount chiefs of Madolenihmw which is the municipality in which Nan Madol is located. He is chief of the clan that has ruled Nan Madol since the fall of the Sau Deleurs around 500 years ago. For this reasons it is also important to maintain the cultural and social practices of the local people who have maintained this site for thousands of years, as the cultural significance emphasizes the fundamental role of indigenous communities, their histories and knowledge, in understanding the significance of tangible evidence as an expression of their culture.12 In the case of integrity, there has never been any reconstruction work done at Nan Madol, and as discussed earlier, the islets comprising Nan Douwas still maintain many of their prismatic, basalt columns on the perimeter along with many of the internal mortuary chambers. Nan Madol is also significant as the only other archaeological site located in Oceania that is made 8 ibid. 9 NPS, 2. 10 ibid. 11 Jones, Kevin L. and Akita Smith, Cultural Landscapes of the Pacific Islands, ICOMOS, December 2007. 12 UNESCO, Tentative List. up of huge rocks aside from Easter Island.13 It exhibits a perfectly preserved habitation, leadership, and ceremonial plan of an architectural ensemble of the Pacific.14 Conditions Affecting Conservation and Management The divergent and conflicting values ascribed to Nan Madol by its various stakeholders have led to controversy surrounding the sovereignty and ownership of the site. Currently the laws in Micronesia clearly state that Nan Madol belongs to the state of Pohnpei, but the Nahnmwarki also claims sovereignty of the ruins.15 The main issue is that unless some type of understanding is reached, the state government and many invested international preservation groups, can not proceed with the much needed rehabilitation work which would make the site eligible for a UNESCO nomination. As of March 1, 2012, Nan Madol and Lelu remain on the Tentative List of World Heritage sites.16 The state has argued that World Heritage status would bring in funds and grants to help with the maintenance and long-term conservation work, and would also increase the flow of tourism and help boost the local economy.17 By comparison, Easter Island receives around 50,000 visitors a year while Nan Madol has fewer than 1,000.18 Outside of the state government and the Nahnmwarki, the local Pohnpeians are prominent stakeholders with a completely different set of values surrounding Nan Madol. Many of the native people are afraid of the site and continue to believe that if the site is disturbed, it will bring bad luck to the entire community. Any sort of future management plan that involves archeological or conservation work will have to take into account the very real fears of the local people who believe that their community could be cursed if they allow anyone to disturb the site. Stakeholders Values Interests Local Gov’t of Pohnpei Economic, Historic, Aesthetic, According to the current laws Environmental in Micronesia, Nan Madol is the property of the state. They have recently nominated Nan Madol to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. 13 Christopher Pala, “Nan Madol: The City Built on Coral Reefs,” The Smithsonian, Nov 3, 2009, http:// www.smithsonianmag.com/history/nan-madol-the-city-built-on-coral-reefs-147288758/?no-ist. 14 UNESCO, Tentative List. 15 ibid. 16 UNESCO, Tentative List. 17 Mauricio. 18 Pala. Nahnmwarki Cultural, Historic, Educational, The Nahnmwarki is the Religious traditional ruler of the Nan Madol and also continues to claim sovereignty of the reuins. Additionally, all visitors must gain his permission before entering the site. Pohnpeian Community Social, Cultural, Historic, While the local Pohnpeian Religious community does follow the leadership of the Nahnmwarki, many of the natives are afraid of the site and continue to believe that if the site is disturbed, it will bring bad luck to the entire community. UNESCO and Heritage Cultural, Historic, Educational Nan Madol is the only other Professionals archaeological site located in Oceania that is made up of huge rocks aside from Easter Island. It exhibits a perfectly preserved habitation, leadership, and ceremonial plan of an architectural ensemble of the Pacific.
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