FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA KOSRAE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE Translation of Thilenius, ed., Results of the South Seas - Expedition, 1908-1910 Sarfert: Kusae, 1 Half-Volume. by Carmen C.H. Petrosian-Husa Anthropological Report 2008/1a Kosrae Historic Preservation Office Kosrae Island 2008 © Kosrae Historic Preservation Office © 2008, Federated States of Micronesia, Kosrae Historic Preservation Office. All rights reserved. The contents of this study are copyright in all countries subscribing to the Berne Convention. No parts of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Historic Preservation Office, except where permitted by law. 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LIBRARY CODE KEYWORDS Anthropology – Federated States of Micronesia – Kosrae Island History – Federated States of Micronesia – Kosrae Island German time – Federated States of Micronesia – Kosrae Island Culture – Federated States of Micronesia – Kosrae Island Federated States of Micronesia – Anthropology – Kosrae Island Federated States of Micronesia – Culture– Kosrae Island Federated States of Micronesia – History– Kosrae Island Federated States of Micronesia – German time– Kosrae Island HAMBURGISCHE WISSENSCHAFTLICHE STIFTUNG RESULTS OF THE SOUTH SEAS- EXPEDITION 1908-1910 PUBLISHED BY PROF. DR. G. THILENIUS DIRECTOR OF THE HAMBURG MUSEUM OF ETHNOGRAPHY II. ETHNOGRAPHY: MICRONESIA VOLUME 4 DR. SARFERT: KUSAE 1. HALF-VOLUME HAMBURG L. FRIEDRICHSEN & CO. 1919 KUSAE BY DR. E. SARFERT CHIEF OF THE OCEANIC DEPARTMENT ON THE MUSEUM OF ETHNOGRAPHY IN LEIPZIG 1. HALF VOLUME __________________ GENERAL PART AND MATERIAL CULTURE WITH 159 ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT, 1 COLOR PLATE AND 44 BLACK PLATES AND 3 MAPS __________________ HAMBURG L. FRIEDRICHSEN & CO. 1919 Preface Apart from some third party’s contributions, this work was already finished at the end of 1913 although the printing was put on hold during World War I and due to my participation in it. It was only possible to continue in the year 1919.1 The lonesome island, which is the subject of this work, is the smallest and most economically insignificant among the high islands of the Carolines. But, its wild natural beauty competes with the smoother charm of the Palau Islands. It obviously belongs among the most beautiful islands of the great ocean, as honoring its name »Gem of the Pacific« indicates, which it received at the time of its highest popularity with the white people. After Germany lost its hegemonic status in the world war and was entirely robbed of its important colonial possessions, the question remains if it is still justified from the German side to dedicate a detailed treatment to such a small and economically unimportant area. Unfortunately Germany no longer has a directly related interest in such an effort thus, the general scientific interest has to justify the size of this monograph. This treatment may at least testify, together with our other vast colonial literature, how unselfishly Germany worked on the scientific exploration of its colonies. After the »Peiho«, the steamship of the »Hamburg South Seas-Expedition«, had criss crossed through the Carolines, it anchored in the beautiful landscape of Lölö-Harbor with all members aboard on February 5th, 1910. It was anticipated the expedition would stay 14 days, at the most. Nothing of interest to the ethnographers was expected of Kusae in 1890 after 30 years had elapsed since after FINSCH’s stay. This was not unwelcome as the second expedition year was nearing its end. Time and the steamship were to be used according to schedule for eastern Micronesia and to allow at least one long sojourn in the Marshall Islands, even thought the region with the most original culture, the central Caroline islands was long behind the exhibition. Thus, a limited result was expected 1 Compare remark p. 257. VI PREFACE. on Kusae. It could only be a poor harvest, with the most important part being a closer examination of the often mentioned but badly known »Ruins of Lölö«. Therefore, the projected sojourn was considered sufficient because, quite fortunately, all expedition members were present and a division of labor was possible. Professor KRÄMER divided the general survey of the culture between himself and me, and all other members had special assignments; Professor [Elisabeth] KRÄMER was supposed to deal with all questions related to women and especially with the old loom weaving technique, while Dr. HAMBRUCH, supported by Mr. HELLWIG, the tireless manager and collector of the expedition, was supposed to carefully survey and measure the ruins. But it turned out differently. The poorer the initial survey of the traditional culture seemed, the more exciting were the small success stories, which were soon noticed. They gave hope that a longer stay might be rewarding. The decision for my longer stay on Kusae resulted from this impression, and after the survey of the ruins was finished by Dr. HAMBRUCH and his assistants Mr. HELLWIG and finally also Mr. LORENZEN, the first officer of the »Peiho«, it was decided I should stay on Kusae, waiting for the return of the »Peiho« from its trip through the Marshall Islands (from February 22, to March 15, 1910). During this time the sources of local tradition were further discovered and when the ship finally returned, the decision was made that the »Peiho« continued its trip home to Hong Kong without me. I stayed on Kusae until May 9, 1910, when the »Germania« offered me a chance to leave this much treasured island going to the Bismarck Archipelago. Thus, my entire stay was 3 months and 3 days, while the rest of the expedition remained 16 days on the island. These circumstances explain why, there is a contribution of each of E. KRÄMER and A. KRÄMER and P. HAMBRUCH, and some small appendixes by E. KRÄMER in this work, and especially in the presentation of the material culture. This is, without any doubt, not an advantage, also variations concerning the language can thus be explained, but this disadvantage is surpassed by the benefit of thorough treatment of the researched material by each participant. Whenever material of the different members of the expedition was used, besides of their special contributions––these are mostly notes of A. KRÄMER––this is indicated every time by his name. The culture we found on Kusae made extending the stay, beyond the initial schedule, a kind of a risk, carried more by hope than by sure success. Work was in no way the heart warming and successful PREFACE. VII enterprise as it would have been in an untouched, or more or less untouched, culture. There was not even a culture, which had been dissolved by European influence and was about to decay, which doubtless offers the best working conditions for any ethnographer, as the natives no longer care about their innermost possession in a secretive way. At its best, work was mostly of a folkloristic kind especially considering the fact that it was completed in the last minutes before 12 o’clock, when little if anything at all, could be done for the scientific survey. Because only a part of the material culture, most of all objects of daily life, was still part of present day life. The youngest generation did not know at all their own past and their own culture and also had no understanding for it. For the before last generation, the fully mature generation, the same was true, except that they may have heard many things and in their youth may have learned some special skills, such as knot weaving, without ever practicing it. Under these circumstances the few oldest members of the population were the only main sources possible. They alone still had experience with their own culture, from their youth. Flawless and diligent interpreters were needed to counter these circumstances. After searching the half-blood-negro Kefas (plate II,1) and the real Kusaean Kelafa-Kön (plate II,3) were hired, both highly intellectual men in honorable age, the first of them already with a graying beard. Of the two, the Negro half-blood, who actually was a complete Kusaean, could be considered the quintessential representative of Kusaean intelligence. Mature and financially secure, without any snobbishness or churchly ambition, he was the only Kusaean with complete command of the English language.