Spanish Wall, Kitti, Reflection

On Friday I went with Mooka for a walk around Kolonia – pretty much the hub of FSM although Palikir is the capital. They have a really cool baseball/softball field with the Spanish Wall as their outfield fence. Spain controlled Pohnpei (then called Ascension) and after the Sokehs Rebellion (natives from Sokehs refused to accept knew labor requirements and a battle ensued) they built a square wall as fortification and protection. Most of the wall was torn down by the Germans when they acquired the island via the Spanish-American War. Even more of the wall was demolished by the Japanese and then by WWII bombings, but the little section that remains is used as an outfield fence.

Later that day I met a University of Michigan graduate who is a Supreme Court judge for the state of Chuuk (Truk). We went out for a few drinks that night and I actually met a ton of family. Almost everyone out here knows my family – especially a few of my uncles.

On Sunday we headed out to Kitti Enpein Pah. I like being in Kitti because it is the true Pohnpei experience. Kolonia is the only real “town” on the island and isn’t really indicative of life for the rest of Pohnpei. Most families are settled on property their family has owned for generations and this is the case for the place we stayed in Kitti. My goal for this trip was to learn about Pohnpei and its people (my people) and to do this I wanted to be totally immersed in their culture and lifestyle. When we stay out in Kitti is when I feel that I am fulfilling this goal. I start to feel more and more like a local and less like a mehn wai; everyone sleeps in one room, shower under with a bucket and water, use the bathroom in an outhouse (although a lot have regular toilets – just in the outhouse). It is great.

Life out there is much slower and much simpler. One of the guys I met described it to me perfectly – he said something along the lines of: “In America it is much harder. You have to pay for everything. If you want chicken, you pay for chicken; if you want fish you pay for fish; if you want to hunt, you have to pay for a license. Here you hunt and fish for free. You sell and eat what you kill and eat what you grow and that is all you need”. I think he has a good point. Their land is their life. They may not have extra money to buy gidgets and gadgets, but they don’t need it.

Monday some of the kids and I went to the local river to go swimming and then hiked up to a waterfall for more swimming. I really regret not brining my camera because it was beautiful. It is fun to swim in Lake Michigan or the ocean, but not many can hike to a remote waterfall and swim. We played around in the water for hours and then headed home for some lunch.

That night we had a big feast. The meal: reef fish, tuna sashimi, rice, pineapple, hot dogs (probably made for me), chicken, and tapioca. I tried a little bit of everything, but wasn’t a big fan of the tapioca or raw tuna, but at least I tried.

Today I went and met with Rufino Mauricio who is the VP of the Historic Preservation Office for FSM. He is an extremely nice guy and offered to help me with any kind of research I am doing now or in the future. In other words, he will probably be my go to guy for grad-school papers. He had nothing but kind things to say about the University of Michigan, especially their anthropology department. He was a great guy and I’m glad that I met him.

I also met a man named Reed Oliver, a local businessman. Reed owns a restaurant and a roadside market (there are roadside markets EVERYWHERE). Reed took in and fed some navigators from the TSS when they were sailing to Puluwat (I THINK) and Larry told me to meet up with him. Reed is also a great guy. He offered to take me around and I think we are going to get together on Friday.

It has been really great to be out here. I have had time to learn and relax at the same time. It is so quite and at nights I can just sit and reflect. I enjoy sitting with everyone who is drinking sakau and just take it all in: conversations, mannerisms, personalities. I don’t really say much mostly because I don’t know the language, but I have been content just living and learning in Pohnpei. Kalahngan for reading. Justin