UNIVERSITY OF LJBRAR'

1

MICRONESIAN CANOE SYMPOSIUM Karch 15-17, 1994 Sponsored by The Council on t h e Arts , Huma nit i e s Agency and The Guam Humanities cOUDcil NARRATIVE REPORT

THE KXCRONES XAN CANOE SYKPOSXUK

Introduct ion The Micronesian Canoe Symposium was inspired by the gathering of traditional canoes at the Sixth in Rarotonga, , in October 1992.

Alberto (Tony) Lamorena V , Di rector of the Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency (CAHA ), noted that among the dozen or more Polynesian canoe s there was one canoe from the to repres ent . Ironically, , the mentor behind the revival of traditional seafaring i n Hawa i i , i s a nav i ga t or from the Caroline . islands in Micronesia. He is recognized in by traditionalists and academics for his vast knOWledge of t raditional celestial navigation; skills also held by several dozen other masters t hr oughout Micronesia. Inspired by that historic gathering of canoes, Tony and his CAHA s taff began plans to bring due recognition to the navigators a nd canoe builders of Micr onesia; and to encourage the continued practice of these t raditions. A grant from the National Endowment for the Ar ts Folk Arts Program ma de the first step in this endeavor possible. The Guam Humanities

JIt. 1 • bh Council j oine d the effort a s a co-sponsor and provided for a vi de o-doc ument a r y component of the project. The Micronesian Canoe Symposium was held in Guam in March 199 4 . It brought together, probably for the fir s t time in history, canoe builders from all of the island states of Micronesia. The islands stretch 4,000 mi l e s from east t o we s t within a twenty-degree band north of the equator; beginning with the Marshalls, , , Chuuk, Northern Marianas , Guam, , and . Except for Guam, wh ich ha s been a U. S . possession sinc e 1898, the islands c omprised the former U. S. Trust Territory.l The various distinct cultural groups of Micronesia have in common a rich heritage of canoe traditions. Micronesians have been known since early recorded history as supreme navigators and canoe builders, with the ability to build swift, seagoing canoes and navigate across hund reds of mi l e s of open ocean.2 The ma s t e r navigators and c a noe builders of the present are confronted with rapid cultural c ha nge in even the mos t remote island atolls, as their young people leave to pursue western education a nd c ome back with new ideas; or don't come back, preferring to stay i n areas whe r e their Western education provides j o b opportunities. 3 Talented young men who would normally be chosen to apprentice with a master navigator or canoe builder f ace the dilemma of giving up a western-style education with its opportunity of a salaried job, for the presently dubious 3

economic advantage of becoming a master canoe builder or navigator. Who will follow in the footsteps of these

masters who are now almost allover the age of fifty? Is

this knowledge to be lost because it is no longer relevant

in contemporary times? Do Micronesians value these traditions enough to take steps to insure that these traditions continue?

The planning stages for the symposium revealed that

exciting canoe building projects are taking place in these islands. A revival of interest in this Micronesian heritage has begun, fueled by the efforts of dedicated officials and individuals who are determined to see that young people are trained, that masters are honored and sought after for their knowledge, and that the tradition again has meaning in contemporary society. What are they doing? What are their immediate and long-term goals? Can these goals b~ assisted through a regional effort? These were some of the questions which fueled the discussion at the Micronesian .c a nc e Symposium.

The participants from each island included a government official involved in a canoe program, and a canoe builder. The invitation was sent to the respective agencies in charge of cultural affairs of each island state. In most cases, these offices involved the Historic Preservation officers, who directly or indirectly had conducted canoe projects. These agencies selected the participants, based upon criteria suggested by CAHA; and they were asked to fill out 4

and return a bie sheet for each participant (See Apprendix

A) . In some cases, participants were selected from programs for the elderly, or from institutions of higher education. The bie sheets and subsequent personal interviews revealed a wealth of diverse talent and experience among the participants.

Participants The Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands

(CNMI) , GUam's closest neighbor, is populated by native Chamorus originally from Guam as well as a large Carolinian community going back nearly two centuries . They therefore chose to send two canoe builders, one representing the

Chamoru and another representing the Carolinian traditions.

They additionally sent three officials from various offices and perspectives.

Canoe builder Ramon Castro of Rota is said to be the last Chamoru of the Northern Marianas knowledgable in canoe building. Now in his seventies, he began learning when he was 23 years old. He learned from Pedro Maratita, whom he realized was then the last canoe builder of his generation.

After building a dugout outrigger canoe with the master, he went on to build his own canoe for fishing . He has built more than a dozen since, the most recent being in 1987 for the Aging Center in Rota. It is now there on display.

Canoe builder Lino Olopai is from . He is a builder of the Carolinian canoe, having apprenticed from 5

masters in his ancestral home i n the Caroline i s l a nd s . He had been living a very wes t e r n i zed lif e s tyl e i n Saipa n , when he became disturbed by the political and cultural changes taking place there at the time of the Compact negotiations

in 1974. Mau Piailuq was of his lineage, and made his first visit to relatives in Saipan then. Mau had been asked by the Polynesian Voy a g i ng Society to teach them traditional navigation for the Hokulea proj ect. In the process of observing and d iscussing each other's l i f e s t y l e s , both of their l i v e s changed: Mau decided to s h a re h is knowledge with the a nd Lino decided to return to h is ancestral islands to learn traditional canoe building and nav igation. He has since served many times a s spokesman for

Mau in Hawaii, as well as advocating for t he sharing of knowledge c onsi de r ed secret and powerful by the holders of canoe traditions.

Official Noel Quit ugu a i s a board me mbe r of t h e

Commonwealth Council on Arts and Cu l t u r e . He als o oa r -vee miniature traditional canoes; and researches a nd collects traditional tools associated with the canoe traditi on. He chose to attend the canoe builder's sessions i n order to pursue his interest in canoe building.

Official John Tudela is d irector of the Of fic e of

Indigenous Affairs on Saipan. He was newly appointed to t he position, and felt the need to attend the conference to broaden his knowledge of this traditional art f orm . 6

Official Cindy P. Hac a r a na s is the Archives &

Information Specialist for the Commonwealth council on Arts

& CUlture. Her purpose for attending wa s to document the proceedings for their arts council. She also participated in the official's sessions.

It is significant to note that the symposium invitation covered only the expenses of one canoe builder and one o f f i c i a l . The CNMI felt that the s ympos i um was important enough to send three extra persons a t their government' 5 expense . (formerly Truk) i s part of the Federated

States of Micronesia, as is Kosrae, Pohnpei, a nd Yap . These islands have distinct languages and cultural practices, and spread a c r os s 1400 miles of ocean. The outer i sland s of

Chuuk a nd Yap have traditional t ies . These outer i sla nd s are especially rich in canoe traditions .

The two participants from Chuuk were adopted brothers f rom the outer island of Po lowat. Theirs is a lineage of c a noe builders a nd navigat or s . Celestine (Tino) Emwalu, the official, stated that f or them canoe building is not a project; i t is a way of life. Both he and his brother

Sosthenis spent their early years building canoe models, going fis hing with their eld ers, then learning to sail canoes and to fish on their own. They both went to s c h ool on the mai n island of Hoen. Tina we nt on t o hig h e r education and i s now Assistant Coordinator for the Colle ge. 7

of Micronesia i n Chuuk , His interest i s in c oor din a ting canoe and navigation proj ects withi n the s c hool cur ricu lum. Sosthenis, however, decided to go back to Po l owat and apprentice with the masters of his line age. At age 42 , he is now recognized as a canoe builder and navigator. He then decided to go back to s choo l in order to obtain the necessary degree which will allow him to teach canoe traditions in the school s ystem. He i s the fir s t to use this approach to carrying on the practice of canoe bu i l d ing and navigation. The people of Kosrae retained their canoe traditions i n the form of racing canoes as well a s ca noe s for f ishing.

Traditional canoe races are held a nnu a l l y . Canoe builder Hansulum Sikain began building canoes a t the age o f 20. Now aged 62, he teaches this art form i n the schools a nd community through the Aging, Tourism, and History a nd CUlture Office. He builds traditiona l canoes with the help of a modern chain saw to rough out the shape of the canoe , which i s then finished with hand tools . He built the twenty-foot traditional racing c a no e for the 19 94 Micronesian Games held i n Guam. Official Alokoa Talley is the Coor dina t or f or Commun ity Development and works with the Senior Citizens Pr ogr a m. I n this capacity, he has organized ma ny programs a nd cultural t ours which included canoe builders . His office oversees t he making and selling of traditional c a no e s t o hotels a nd residents of Ko s r a e . 8

Pohnpei is in the process of documenting the building of four distinct types of canoes found in their culture.

The islands of Kapingamarangi and Nukuoro are inhabited by

Polynesians, further broadening the variety of canoe traditions found in that island state. Canoe builder Kasiano Santos, now age 58, began apprenticing with his father, Faustino Mandla, when he was twelve years old. He has built the only existing model of the traditional high chief's canoe, now in the Pohnpei

Museum. He currently is helping to document Pohnpei canoe styles .and works in canoe education programs in the community. He is also the traditional head of the Enipeln Marine Park, where visitors ride canoes through mangrove forests and a cultural village.

Official Emensio Eperiam is director of the State

Office for Historic Preservation and Cultural Affairs. His office is in charge of the current canoe projects taking place in Pohnpei .

Yap state consists of the main high island, with many outer islands and atolls spread across hundreds of miles.

The outer islands share similar traditions with those of

Chuuk. Yap proper also has its canoe traditions.

Canoe builder John Tamagyaron, age 67, served as master canoe builder for the Yapese canoe Which was launched on

February 28, 1994. Five apprentices worked with him for eight months to complete this ocean-going canoe. The canoe will eventually sail three hundred miles from Yap to Palau 9

to quarry the t r ad i t i ona l stone money and bring it back to Yap. Official Andrew Kugfas is the Yap Historic Preservation Officer in charge of this canoe project . Their project was funded by the Albatross Club of Japan. Andrew explained that when they were approached by the Albatross Club with a reque s t to . recreate the traditional voyage to obtain stone money from Pal a u, he declared that they could not do it without first buil ding a canoe - thereby funding their canoe project. Tony Lamorena stated at the beginning of the conference that Guam had more to gain from the s ymposium than a ny other island - because Guam h ad lost almost all of i t s c a noe traditions through 300 years of Spanish rule .

Canoe builder Segundo BIas has c a rved canoe mod e l s since he was a seven-year-old in Saipan. His reputation a s a carver earned him the distinction o f being sent to Palau as a young man by the Japanese administration to study c a n oe bui l d i ng and other crafts. He learned how to ma k e Palauan canoes, but insists that traditional Chamoru canoes are the one-piece dugout outrigger sailing canoes he observed as a boy i n Saipan . Ca noe builder Rob Limtiaco completed an apprenticesh ip under Segundo Blas i n 1984, then we nt on to apprenti ce with master navigator Rapwi Ya l awa i r h and master canoe builder Tawa Tillimwar in Polowat. They subsequently sai led 1500 miles from Polowat to Guam and back i n 1987 . He i s a .1 0

founding member of T.A.S.I - Traditions About Seafaring

Islands, a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of canoe traditions. Canoe builder Gary Guerrero apprenticed under ma s t e r canoe builders Segundo BIas (Guam) and Tawa Tillimwar (Polowat). He is the current chairperson for T.A.S.I.

Official Matt Artara, a member of T .A.S.I., assisted

Rob to videotape the proceedings. They intend to use this and other documentary materials in their educational program for the schools . Oft.iclal Alberto (To ny ) Lamorena V is the Executive Director of the Guam Council on the Arts & Humanities Agency. He served as moderator for the Officials' Sessions of the symposium. Official Jillette Leon Guerrero i s the Director of the Guam Humanities Council. Official Robert Standing Soldier is the Director of the Compact-Impact Office for Micronesian Affairs . Official Vicente M. Diaz, Ph .D., is Professor of Pacific History, Humanistic Studies, University of Guam. He served as moderator of the Canoe Builder's Sessions of the symposium. Father Thomas McGrath was the official representative for the Micronesian Area Research Center (MARC) Official Donald RUbinstein, Ph.D., represented the Guam Humanities Council during the sessions. 11

The Republic of the Harshall Islands are made up of

hundreds of coral atolls spread over a thousand miles of

Pacific ocean. Marshallese seafaring skills developed as a

result of their need to travel between atolls for trade and

survival. Canoe Builders Elimas Samuel and Thomas Sakin, are currently working on a fifty-foot ocean-going canoe in

remote Ujae Atoll. According to Project Director Dennis Alessio, the wood is from an eighty-foot driftlog washed up

on the island. Dennis described the Marshalls as being

"blessed" with typhoons in the which result in such driftlogs being carried to their islands. Dennis Alessio is a boat builder originally from

Seattle who now speaks Marshallese and has become a part of

their community. He initiated the Waan Aelon Kein canoe project over five years ago, and has served as project . director for the building of six traditional Harshallese

canoes. The fifth canoe was the only Micronesian canoe to

participate in the 6th Festival of Pacific Arts in

Ratotonga, Cook Islands. It was the fastest of all the

canoes at the Festival. Alson Kelen is the Assistant Project Director for the

project, and is learning how to write and administer grants

necessary to the continuation of work. He attended the

University of Hawaii, and has spent much of his time on this project in the translation of knowledge from Marshallese to English. 12

The Republic of Palau traditionally used canoes to travel among the lush green rock islands scattered within the shallow lagoon surrounding most of their central islands a rea . Canoe builder Edeluchel Eungel's chiefly title is t1Elapsis", which was used throughout the symposium. He celebrated his 75th birthday during that time . He recently completed a canoe for the State Unit on Aging Agency. He is also chief advisor for the continued maintenance of the only remaining traditional men's house (Abal) . Official Lillian Nakamura is the Director for the State

Unit on Aging Agency, and administered t h e i r recent canoe project. She announced that she was proud to be the only woman (besides Cindy from CNMI) to participate in the Canoe

Symposium, since canoe builders and navigators, and even officials, are traditionally men. Canoe builder Sven Ortquist was a participant-observer from American . He was interested i n reviving canoe traditions in his island. His attendance was made possible through a grant from the Consortium for Pacific Arts and CUltures (CPAC), a regional organization made up of Guam, , and the CNHI.

Discussion nts

The Canoe Symposium was organized around t hree purposes: (l)Sharing of Information, (2)Planning Future Projects, and (J)Exploring Funding strategies. Opening and 13

closing sessions i nc l uded all participants; most other

sessions were divided i nt o discussions among canoe builders

and discussions among officials. Both groups came together

at the beginning of each day to summarize their d iscussions

for the entire group. Several participants brought materials from their projects to share - documentary v i deos ,

drawings, tools, and traditional ma t e r i a l s . Time was set

aside each evening for informal sharing o f these projects , while actual symposium time focused on the broader i s s ues of

the state o f canoe traditions, discuss i o n of probl e ms and solutions, and the forming of a regiona l consortium to address future concerns. To facilitate the evening sharing

and networking, all participants were lodged i n the Ma i Ana

Hotel , an apartment-type complex wi t h a large lawn where

evening dinner and social i zing took p lace. Ea c h eve ning a

local Micronesian dance group performed f ollowing dinne r , . whic h encouraged participants to linge r, as we l l a s inv i t ed participation of the local Micronesian community in

informal discussion and networking.

Venues

The sessions were held at a d ifferent v e nu e e a c h d ay, highlighting a parti cular project a s s ocia t ed wi t h canoes or traditions . Day One took place at Jeff's Pirate's Cove, the s ite of the Haielei Polowat Ca n oe Appr e nt ice s hip o f 1991. This 28 ­ foot outrigger sailing canoe wa s built on polowat a nd s ail e d 14

to Guam in 1990. It was purchased by Jeff's, and was used

in a Folk Arts Apprenticeship project using a master and apprentices from Polowat who now live on Guam. Day Two included a tour of Gef Pa'go Chamorro CUltural Village in Inarajan, where several participants were so

intrigued by the Spanish-era rope-making apparatus that they

made sketches. (Perhaps this will be the cause of a change in traditional ropemaking practices on some islands!)

Day Three took place at the site of a current ocean­

going canoe-building project by members of T.A.S.l.,

Tradition . About Seafaring Islands. Gary Guerrero and Rob Limtiaco showed the hull which had been shaped from a large

breadfruit tree blown down by a typhoon, and talked about

the struggles of trying to build a canoe without the

traditional support systems present in canoe-building island culture. While traditional canoe builders would be fed and

cared for while working on a canoe, these young men must find time to work in-between preparing their own meals and working jobs to pay bills.

Canoe Builders' sessions

Vicente H. Diaz, Ph.D., served as moderator for the canoe builders' sessions. His expertise in Pacific History,

in addition to being a native of Micronesia (born and raised in Guam, of Pohnpeian and Filipino parents) provided the essential element to encourage discussion among a varied group of men ranging from those who spoke English fluently 15 to those who required a translator to participate. An

interesting summary written by Or. Diaz gives an indication of the dynamics of the discussion and sentiment of the participants. (See Appendix B) .

Problems discussed by the canoe builders included those of funding, natural resources, human resources, western influences, and government.

All agreed that in contemporary society, funding is needed to continue the practice of canoe building. Only in the most remote islands do traditional canoes still provide the primary means to catch fish for food . Canoe builders, like others in their community, need money to pay for their daily needs. No solution was discussed, as they left that problem to the officials.

High islands generally have the natural resources needed to build canoes , while low islands don't. A discussion of the importance of the breadfruit tree made the point that, in low islands a breadfruit tree which is sacrificed for a canoe might mean a shortage of food for members of that community . A discussion of human resources brought out the fact that few young men today are apprenticing to be canoe builders. Canoe building is not profitable, and therefore canoe traditions may not be passed on by those who possess such knowledge due to the lack of interested young men. This led to a discussion a bout western influences which changed ideas of prestige. Only those who have a degree are 16

recognized as teachers eligible to pass on k nowledge. Those with years of traditional training are not recognized and cannot teach the subject in which only they are experts.

This culminated in a discussion of criteria for a possible honorary degree which could be bestowed by institutions of higher learning such as the Un iversity of Guam or College of Micronesia. Points brought out included: (1) standards decided upon must be fair to each island's traditions; (2) standards must pay attention to quality, know-how, responsibilities and obligations; (3) standards must be strict enough that not just any canoe builder will qualify: and therefore (4) perhaps different degrees should be considered for levels of skill; (5)candidates must be acknowledged and approved by the chiefs (which brings up potential problems of nepotism); and (6)there is a need to learn more about existing traditional ceremonies which acknowledge a level of excellence (such as "Fwo" in Central

Carolinian culture). Additional discussion included the possibility of a future school where traditional canoe and navigation methods could be taught. The need for participation by more navigators was emphasized .

The absence of government support centered on absence of funding and lack of conservation policies .

All agreed that it was important to get together to discuss issues and exchange resources and ideas on a regular basis. 17

Officials' Sessions

The officials, with the exception of Dennis Alessio, were natives of their respective islands. All were schooled in western institutions while remaining very cognizant of traditional ways and have worked directly with their respective canoe builders on projects.

It was quickly agreed that a regional consortium for the advocacy of Micronesian canoe traditions was needed. The remainder of the sessions consisted of defining goals of such a consortium and on planning of specific projects for the coming months. Several points were made, which ultimately resulted in a resolution forming the Micronesian Seafaring Society and its purposes. (See Appendix C) This resolution was given to each participating official to present to their respective governments in the hope of gaining support for the endeavor. Ways of promoting the

Society and its canoe masters included the possibility of fundraising through the sale of postcards featuring ?anoes and master builders, and T-shirts sporting the logo. All agreed to encourage their builders to make high quality canoe models which could be sold through a mail-order cataloq featuring photos and information on each model and its maker. To further this effort, Tony Lamorena said he would request space in the new Guam International Airport for a display of model canoes from each island. Information pamphlets about the Micronesian Seafaring Society as well as order forms for canoe models would be available. Each 18

participant agreed to take these ideas back to their governments and seek support, gather additional ideas, and meet again in September to finalize the official formation

of this consortium. The problem of funding for this upcoming meeting was not solved. Specific future projects were discussed. The immediate

goal, everyone agreed, was to have Micronesian canoes from each of the island states at the 1996 7th Festival of

Pacific Arts to be held in , Western Samoa. A map was

consulted and Sven from American Samoa was brought in to advise on . the logistics of sailing from American Samoa to

Western Samoa for the festival. Sven stated that this would be about an SO -mile trip, with favorable winds and currents. No problem, said these seafaring experts. More immediate plans called for model canoe and other material cultural

exhibits at the annual Guam Micronesian CUltural Fair in Guam . Regular canoe events on Guam and elsewhere could be advertised through the society by all island members. swamary

Eloquent and significant statements were made throughout the symposium. Celestine Emwalu of Chuuk stated during the opening session that, for them, canoe building is not a project but rather a way of life. It is a vessel for the people's culture. The canoe builder carries the people's culture and history and future. Kasiano Santos of Pohnpei spoke of the canoe as a sacred vessel for the 19

people. Pohnpei legend tells of how the canoe came from heaven ..

The reason t hat tractitional knowledge is secret and considered powerful was explained by Celestine. "When your clan possesses knowledge whlch is needed by the people, the chief will favor you with food and other necessities for living in exchange for the use of this knowledge. If you give up what you know, you are no longer needed, and you lose y ou r me a ns of making a living." The bearers of this knowledge need to be protected, a nd their knowledge somehow copyrighted so that these masters be ne f i t from the s h a r ing of traditions.

So, while the participants all felt the need to pass on traditional knowledge, they stated a need for c ontemporary society to come up with answers to this dilemma.

The Micronesian Canoe Symp os i um wa s a fir s t s t e p in me e t i ng the c h a l l e ng e of giving traditional knowledge its rightful place in contemporary s oc i e ty. The formation o f the Micronesian Seafaring Society a nd concurrent g oa l of providing a university-recognized degree to traditional masters is a beginning. 20

NOTES

1 Background materials which describe the political history of Micronesia are based on the following: Hezel, Francis X, 5.3. 1983. The First Taint of Ci viliz a t i o n , a History of the Caroline and Marshall Islands i n Pre-Colonial Days. 1521 1885. Pacific Islands Monograph Series, No.1. University of Hawaii Pr e s s , Honol u l u. Levesque, Rodrigue, ed. n.d. History of Micronesia. a Collection of Source Documents. Volume 1 - European Discovery 1521-1560. Levesque Publications, Quebec, Ca na d a . 2 Micronesian traditional navigation is discussed in the following sources: Gladwin, Thomas. East is a Big Bird. Navigation and Log i c on pyluwat Atoll. Harvard University Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts. Lewis, David. We. the Navigators. The Anc i e nt Ar t of Land f i nding i n the Pacifi c. The Univer s i t y Press of Hawaii , . 3 This pUblication g ives i ns i ght i nt o Mic r ones ian reas ons f or pursueing higher education: "Island Voyage r s In New Ques t s : An Assessment of Degree Completion Among Micronesian College Students." 19 81 . Miscel laneous Publication No. 4 by research team of Ra ndy L. Workman, Christine O'Meara, James Craig, James Nagel , Edward Robbins, and Dirk Anthony Ballendorf. Micronesian Ar e a Research Center, University of Guam. APPENDlXA

INFORMATION FORM FOR OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVES

(Plea.. return this form to Guam COUDcil on the Arts , Humanities Aqency. tax' (671) H7-5651.) (l)Name ot Canoe Builder ___

From what island or group? ___

Age Male/Female Speaks what lanquage(s) _ Relatives living in Guam? If yes, give name(s) and how to contact. _

Please state any dietary restrIctions

Is this person currently building a canoe? If so, is it a project of the village or community? ,the home island? , or for another island? Is the canoe project be·7Ti =n=q--f ·unded by the village or community? or by the government? _ If this person is not currently building a canoe, what are the special qualifications which caused you to select this person? What canoes has this person built? Is this person also a navigator? Give any additional background to describe this person's abilities/history. ___

(2)Name of Government otficial ~~=_~~~ Title male/female Address Tele . fax _ Speaks what languages? Is he/she currently wo~r~k~i~n~q~o~n~a~c~a~n~o~e~p~r~o~Jr.'e~c~t.??--TI~f~s~o~,~p~l~e~as'e describe the project. ___

If this person is not currently working on a canoe project, please explain why he/she was selected to attend the conference?

Please state any special dietary restrictions WIll your representatives bring any presention materials which need customs clearance? Summary of Canoe Builders SessIO n APPENDIXB 17 March 1994 Vince Diaz, Ph.D. moderator

Before I b~gln I want to thank every carver and every otficial a.'1.ti every individual who helped organize this excellent conference. ! "'" honored to be able to sit and listen to such knowledgable people like yo... and please excuse me while I try to give a report ofyour meeting yesterday. Let me begin with my report. The afternoon discussion began with the builders singing cence chants from their respective islands, end =c·...-ed to a •round the mat and folding chairs' sharing of major problems facin" each builder. Discussion then moved to sharing ways of helping each other. The discussion centered on three questions that I had asked the builders and navigators to consider: #1 '¥Vhllt is the main problem stopping i"OU f:-::;:::: building and sailing your canoe; #2 What can you do to help each other: and fmally, #3 do you like meeting and talking like this? In this session everybody was very interested, almost everyoody spoke. Hansulum of Kosrae, who opened the session ·oAr~th a chant, :::;:::ile:d the whole time, except when he had to look for the bathroom. :..ud T.Xl Ramon Castro ofLuta listened very intensely, through his translator Fran;'~ Castro of Guam. The follo·...~ng is a summOI'; of the main problems and possible solutions The best way to summarize the problems is to keep in mind big differences between the low-lying islands and their need for long distence sailing, and the high islands, who for the most part need only travel ·:.~thi::l lagoons. There are of course exceptions. 1. The low-lying islands such as Puluwat, for instance. face the shortage of natural resources. Sostes ofPuluwat, Lino ofSaipan and the Central Carolines, Thomas and Elimas of the Marshalls all agreed, pointing out the vital importance and role of kinds ofbreadfruit trees in everyday life and in Canoe building. 2. the builders from the high islands, on the other hand, said that the main problems ranged from money to expertise to existing 1~9.A.~ to ·.A.~:;t::-= influence. I should mention that money, expertise and governments aud general western intluence are mentioned as major problems facing every ,

1 cQ.nOQ builder wnd nQV1!jQ.tor. n~..rdlQ" ot_hQt bna of i.l...nd he c~me from, The pomt is that these ~re the primary problems accc rdin z :t~ carvers from the high islands. For example. Kasiano cr Pchape; said that he has the narurai resources and expertise, but In order to carve and to train C3.!""Je~. !::.~ :::.~~d! money. •~ me the money and we are or~ said ~Miano. and e--ver:::;cdj­ nodded yes excitedly, According to Elipses ofPalau the main problem facing him was the lack of interests by the young men because carvm g canoe is not profitable and also because carving requires lotr of h..r&A'C'!!: and years vf experience. Although he and most C3JVers did "at sa:,. it. :t:: Important to recognize that a major prob lem in all these islands \as we heard in the first session of the opening day) IS that the secrets ana traditions are in the hands of a few men who do not necessarily have ~"c·.l~~ spprenn ces, This: absence of expertise '.N85 cited by our co usin 3ven ofAmerican :amoa. Sven mfonned Sostes, Line. Thomas and Elimas that th ere Are breadfruit trees sometimes rive feet in diameter laying on the ;:'"ound ~ jamoa. And their eyes lit up. I'm sure they were 'NDndering if the t::"".;uk.i were not rotten yet, just as I'm sure that the officials in the other side of this conference were talking about how to transport those trunks to the Marshalls and the Central Cerolines. Tamag ofYap repeated the points by Kasienc, Elipses and "..-en: ,l::. problem in 'iap, said Tamag, \oWS that youngsters are not interested ~nci dlac :Doney"W'8.5 not available from the government. You have heara m me n rsr iay that the canoe project that Tamag is involved in-SaIling ~r: p~~u t o:' recover some Yapese discs-I won't repeat here the joke: made by uth~ : carvers at this session-this trip was sponsored by private money from Japan. The absence of government support was made clear from the '''~ !}' beginning of the co nference when we found out that Tun Ramon Castro .....";).S once almost arrested for cutting down a breadfruit tree to build a canoe. uf when we heard that Tine's idea tor a navigational course 1N85 canceileo at '.he College ofMicronesia because the master builder did not hatre an academic degree. I doni t know who that builder was but a master b:;i!=.tr snd navigator, in my eyes and in my experience, kn ows much more than

2 mc s r professors or cu ltu r e end histor:"' t:nat I heve met. I b e liev e that: ehe Mester Builder should be called a Professor ofMic roZ:::51'-D. T:-3ciiti.:::-.s. In yesterday' S ses sion, this idea of lack of support by the ·~ove r nm e. nt5 was remforced by Line and Gary and Rob, wno taikea ao our :he need for conservation po licies. Now when I talk. about the differences facing builde rs and :la'Vl~at~=-;: from the low and high islands I certainly do not want to convey the idea ,nat nothing cannot be done. This is certainly not the feelings of the budders session yesterday. In fact 'We spent much time talking about 'Nays of helping each other, ideas that I hope will become concrete projects throu;}1 the consortium. For instance Sven talked about visiting with Tun jack Lujan, Guam's master blacksmith, and the quality of his craft. As I mentioned, $ven also talked about sending logs to Sostes. Maybe one: ~ ro j ec t could be to have ' fact-finding' and ' research' trips sponsored b:,­ ~n e co nsoroum where carvers and navigators could visit each other's tsiands in se arch of resources they need. And the trips could ~et ~,'<1I1.tt~n orr :'I.S business expenses for tax purposes. Another idea, brought up b)' Reb) was the: role of :rideo technology since. after all, canoe carving and navigation involved education and passing on knowledge. in this way, according to the experiences ofRob and Gary's organizanon called fASI . rne traditions about sea-faring islands can become taught in entertaining me educational ~Nays. As a teacher I have seen students become interested ~ rhese tradi tions that they never knew existed, In fact I t was the learning about these traditions that made some of these students become p r O llQ or theu- island heritage. I know, I had to get a doctorate degree in ·.\..e !'te:~ iasn rutions to learn that what I needed to know was in my own backyard, In yesterday's session, the final question I asked the builders was very simple. Do you like getting together like this and talking about your r:raditions. Everybody said yes. This is, of course, known to program officials as ' networking' and'dialoguing.' Traditionally, I think, this is ~ .mat goes on in the meeting house, and of co urse, as Lilian reminds us­ '.NO men are also pan of this particular meeting. Of course the success of this meeting should also be a.ttnbuted to other women we have been seei:::; in this conference: Judv Flores, Denise, Merrie (and some of the: other :"...en. too) .

3 :;0 from the CEUV@n ~nd DQV1';9.ton you heve tn" CO D5 Q n.s U~ icr

ciiaiogull:;. net"..rorkingJ holding future meenngs. i want to close by sharing wi th you-carvers and officials and a rgam::er!;- what i think """"'8.5 the mos t important thing I learned from yesterdays' session with the carvers. As moderator I thought! ='-d !h~ F'0~r to 3Sk the questions and to lead the discussion. I tho~t I asked :=! ian question, In a setting of master builders and navigators, I shouid have: known better, A5 the session drew to a close. and everybody was saym~ how good to 'WaS to be talking ,to each other, Sostes grabbed the .....·r.e !". ~d said: II 'IN8.I1t to ask a question ~ There was silence. ~ o s tf: S then .iSkcCo: ' Why are we building canoes" Just to show them? To sell them? The resounding answer: For Preservation. For the Culture. For rite Way ofLife. On the first day, Celestino said that canoe building and !'91E::; is not a project. It is a WfJ:Y of life. He said that it was a v essel for :ze; people' s culture. It was the carrier. 7he canoe b uilder builds the craft :: : . ~ .. cernes the people's culture and roster] and future. kasiano yp.s J:eraay '.:ill~ ed about the canoe in Pohnpei and how it came from heaven. !'.: !! ~ sacred vessel for the people. The most important thing I learned, and that I will teach, and tha t j hope the orgam::ers ·NtiI plan and make possible. 1< the idea that to08Y)"ST as in yes terday, and for the future, b uilding and sailing a canoe is necessary for the preservation and the development ofMicronesians. This is a S4c ;,e;c abject and a sac red responsibility that the builders and navigators have, and it 15 our sacred responsfbility to preseI""~'e and develop the tradition ror furore development,

4 APPENDIX C

.....- ' --- Relawe to 'the 1994 M icron~i.an Canoe Sympooium which was h05ud U:i 'the GWim Human~6Councilane.l 'the G Councd on tnt: Arw and Humanltit6 ~encytoo furt.her de:veloplind preurve 'the U'~it.Ion.t 1 canoe Pu ild i~ ane.l "... ~ tional eklll6.

flE IT RESOLVED fly All THE MEMflERS ATIENDING THE 1994 MICRONESIAN CANOE SYMPOSIUM:

Yv'HEREAS. the 1994 Microne&Uln CanOl:Symp06ium wae heid in GWim on March 15·17. 1994 in which eight. i61a wercreprteenUd namely. Chuuk. Commonwealth of'the Northern Marianae. GWlm. f'.o&rae. MareltaUIslands. Palau. Poh . and Yap: . nd

WHEREAS. U'adi'tional navi,g:atoOrs. canoe Wiider5. andgovernment. re~t.ive&were in anenaancctoo enare excna"'i!e 'their cammon I1ond~ i nvoM~ U'adrtional canoe wilding and l\8Vll3at.ional ekllle: al1d

'M1EKEAS. ae .. re ~u tt. ofa unanimous deci!iw:1M 'the "Micr one!l L8 n Seafa"~ Socia.y" was IniUau:d. The pu~ : he or~a n lZation is too rrullnt.aan communciations eetween reememi7er teland6. T" inttlateand imptemCt1't policy'tha'twill u lt6 memuet"'5 teward5 'the pr~ervat.ion and promot.ion of'the 'traditional canoe truilding and na~Uonal sleills: and

'NHEREAS. 'the "M icron~ian Seafa"~ 5ocia-y. will deveiop pro9r.ame 6uch as reecvrce d irectoriee. techn­ a56l5tance, archivalliUrary. education.and apprt:TTtlccprograms. fundrai5i~ and at.her pr~rams t'enefit.'t.i~ 'thegoal&.lr. ot:PJectNee oft-he 6OCie'ty:.nd

WHEREAS. t he comm~en't of the "Micronesian Seafaring Society- is dedicated tewards 'the developm promO'tion al1d education of the traditional canoe tnJilding ane.l navig.a'tional sleills. And ie Ct\ually e1edicaUd tewar elimina'tlng 'the exploita'tion of our canoe Uuilders and navigatoOt"'5: now. 'therefore. ee It

RESOLVED. that 'the participanU of the 1994 Micronesian Canoe Sympoeium: Commonwealth of the No Mananas part.icipant.6 Ramon Cas'tro. Lino Olopa~ Noel Quitugua. J ohn Tudela and Cindy Macaranas: Federated States MicronesLB participanu Sostenis Emwalu and Celestine Emwalu: Kcerae State part.«::ipanu Hansulum Sil:ain ana Ala Tall ~ partlcipante Kaeiano Santee and Emeneio Eperiam: partlciparrt6 John Tamagyaron II AndrewKugfss: Guam participanu Segundo 61a6. RllI;I Limtiaco. Gary Guel"t'et'O. Ma'tt-An:.ero. Tony Lamcrena, J illette Guem:ro. V"lCente M. Dial, Ph.D.: ~pul7lic of MarettaU 16lande parUcipanu ElimaeSamuel Thomas eokin. Dennis A~iO .. Alson K.elen: Repu ~ ic of Palau participant6 E.:::Ielucnd Eungd ane.l Lillian Nakamura: American Samoa participa~ 5vii Ortqul6t realiud the nee:a to pt"t:'&t:rve ana promote the uaelrtional canoe ~ ild ing ana ".~ationa l sleills: ane.l thus De l further.

RESOLVED. thatthefonnaTJon of the -M icronesian Seafari~ Socia-y· l?e ~t.at1l i9hed 'thi517th day of March. 1990': A ppolnU ~ Tony Lamorena Be 'the Interim Chairman and that. copiU of 'the esme t1e thereafter transmtttea too tl'll 9overnment. leaaers of t he part.icipa'ting i6 la: nd S.

DULYANDREGULARLY ADOP1ED fly THE PAR11 C1 PANTS OF TH E 1994 MICRONESIAN CANOESYMPOSIUM ON THE1 DAYOF MARCH. 1994.

-, .f- I /

Torry tamorena , ExecuUve Director G uam Councii on tne Aru & HUrrulniUe5 \ , , , ~ • I I . , " " ! ...... " I f I ,,,,' ,'LIFESTYLE'6t' , :g r:;;-;::;------'-- -======:::; ~ t:l ~ ~ :f. Q. ~ ~ t!: !>'

The seafarers of'Micronesia Members oftheMicronesian seafaring Society, which was organized attheMicronesian Canoe Sym­ posium In March are, kneeling, Irom left, GaryGuerrero and Rob L1mtlaco 01 Guam, and Kaslano Sar:ltq~of Pohnpel; standing, Iromleft, Segundo Bias 01 Guam, Ramon Castro Sr. 01 Rota, Samuel EII~ andThomas Bokln 01 the Marshall Islands, Hansulum Sikain 01 Kosrae, Sostenls Emwalu 01 Chuuk, Edeluchel Eungel 01 Palau andSven Ortqulst 01 American Samoa.