The Begining of the End

I would like to apologize for the delay on this post I know my readers have been waiting patiently. Also there are no pictures on these two stories because at times I find picture taking rude. I already stand out enough as it is and I do not want to continue to ostracise myself from the group. I hope you all enjoy as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Field 7-21 to 7-24

My adventures in Pohnpei would end where it all began Madolihnium. We were going up to the same site that we first went to when I arrived. I remember the hike being brutal and I was exhausted and beat up when I emerged from the jungle. Packing for these trips had become routine it is like preparing for battle. Knowing what lies ahead you pack clothes, hammock, sleeping bag, and you are sure to pack as lite as possible. Axes, Machetes, and Knives are sharpened, and when everything is in order you rest preparing for the day ahead. I was worried again about this hike and I was also dreading it. From what I remembered the hiking was slow and scary. Hiking up a river bank around and sometimes through waterfalls. However, this time was different.
We had to hike up a different way this time because the route we used last time was too muddy and flooded from all the rain. This time we would stay close to the river hiking up along wet, mossy, and slippery rocks. Although, my hiking was still slow my skills had improved greatly. I was not clambering form rock to rock, or falling, or even scared. I walked and climbed this time almost sort of gracefully. I had actually begun to enjoy the hiking in a sick way. Hoping from rock to rock like it was a game at times. I knew all the tricks now and was better at choosing where to step. I had learned that the mossy rocks are the best for traction and can be crossed quite easily. I ascended waterfalls swiftly and carefully for falling was not an option. I knew what trees to grab and which ones not to because of spikes. However, most of all I knew what to expect and I knew that I could accomplish the hike. Although, by the end of the hike I was still exhausted and my knees throbbed in agony I was not nearly as tired or tattered as I remember being from the other hike. This time something was different at first I could not quite put my finger on it but then it hit me. I was comfortable. The jungle had become my home in some weird way and although at first it was not welcoming now with the help of my team I had conquered it. There we were at the same site where we had camped almost a month early. The remains or our hut still in place, as well as the ashes from our fire. It all brought back memories and helped conclude my stay in Pohnpei.
We stayed here at the upper site Monday and Tuesday nights. We worked all day Tuesday doing transects from the top down. Starting at 600 meters and working our way to 500, and 400 doing 3 transects at each stop. On Wednesday our plan was to hike down to hut on the riverbanks at around 200 meters and do transects at 300m on the way. However, because my hiking was still kinda slow me and Ray hiked down to the hut Wednesday and I was excused from working. We were going to be sharing the hut with the family that lived there. It would be this experience that I will remember most about Pohnpei.
Here by a large pool in the river we stayed with relatives of Ray. They live here with no electricity, no running water, no bathroom, shower, or any of those thing we take for granted living in civilization. That night we drank Sakau by the river it was a nice conclusion to my stay in the jungle. The river flowed gently by us and the breeze occasionally rustled the trees. I could almost hear the jungle saying goodbye as I sat and reflected on the time I had spent. We sat on the rocks in the riverbed pounded and drank Sakau until we all went to bed it was a good night. The next morning Ray had to hike up to another site to retrieve sediment Jars and Wayne and the rest of the team had to hike up to finish some transects. They told me I could stay at the house and relax also because I still hiked kinda slow.
So then they left and there I was with a Pohnpeian family Husband, Wife 3 daughters, and a Son. The daughters were all young still children and the boy was the youngest beside the baby. It was me and them there Enlgish was minimal as well as my Pohnpeian, however I would find myself amazed by their culture and way of life. Beautiful is the only way to describe it. They live a simple life by the river and seeing it was humbling. The river is where they get there water, wash their clothes, dishes, take their showers, and swim. Fires are used as stoves they build them between the rocks which are then used to support pots. As I observed the family go about their daily tasks I am fascinated. I am told to sleep, or rest but I can not. From time to time the young boy would come up to me and ask me something in Pohnpeian. He would wait patiently for a response and when I looked at him confused he would simply ask again. He did not understand that I could not speak Pohnpeian and must have thought I was some kind of mute. The oldest daughter maybe young teens would stand with the baby and stare at me at times, although I can not blame her I often have that effect on women. Probably also wondering the it moves does it talk. The Family hierarchy was very simple. The father was in charge, the oldest daughter cared and tended to the baby, The mother oversaw all the cooking and the children helped and unknowingly learned at the same time. They fixed a lunch of fried reef fish, hooch (mashed banana cooked in banana leaf with coconut milk), and sea cucumber that had been thinly sliced and marinated. The sea cucumber was really good it has a clam like taste as is more slimy and chewy than a clam. I sat on the riverbed and ate lunch with the family and a few other relatives that had come up. After lunch I cooled of in the river and was joined by the young boy who enjoyed playing in the water.
I do not know how long I was there alone with the family it felt like 2 to 3 hours, but I remember thinking that I could have stayed their forever. I found myself somewhat envious of their way of life. They swim in the river every day and dine on local foods. However, most importantly they are happy. Living in western society as it is called civilization can often make us loose sight of what is truly important family and friends. We obsess over deadlines, possessions, money, bills, rent, and the future to name a few. We race through school, then college, and then race to find a job. Rarely stopping to see where we are going or where we have been We live a faster paced life wanting to get everything done as fast as possible sometimes finding ourselves in a constant rush. Sometimes not even realizing how much we really have. This family showed me how easy it is to be happy and enjoy life. All you need is family and friends and happiness will come along with it. When the rest of the team came back from the upland forest I knew it would be time to leave and I was sad. I said my goodbyes to the family and thanked them for their gracious hospitality. They had so little yet they shared so much with me. Not just food and a place to stay but they shared their culture and way of life and for this I will be forever great-full.
As we hiked out of the jungle this time I was sad. I said my goodbyes to the plants the rocks and the jungle. When we reached the bridge where four weeks earlier I took a picture of myself and posted it with the caption “me relived to be out of the jungle in on piece”. This time my feelings were much different I was not relieved and was sad to leave the jungle. This trip had changed me and I was no longer the scared Menwai that first arrived here. I have been here a little over a month and I have spent 20 days in the jungle almost more time than in town. I had seen parts of Pohnpeian culture that your average tourist would miss. I had also been places that on the Island that your average tourist would not dream of going. My last field excursion was now over however, little did I know that much more awaited me in Pohnpei.


Saturday 7-25

Friday was the Conservation Society of Pohnpei's (CSP's) birthday. The party was good pretty much your standard party with tents, and booths explaining their mission and goals with the different programs marine, terrestrial, ethno, and education. The only thing that was different was the Sakau drinking afterward. That night I went out to Nett with some people from CSP to drink Sakau and then we went to a couple bars. However, that is not the story I wish to tell now. I have a much better one. That night Ray invited me to come to his house Saturday for a wake. Through our treks we have become good friends, and he wanted to drink Sakau with me before I left. I had not idea what to expect and was truly amazed by the experience.
Ray picked me up at the apartment and we took a Taxi to Nett near by. We walked in off the road past a few huts through a taro clearing and down a short dirt path. We then came to a large concrete style hut where lots of people where gathered. When I say hut I am referring to a traditional pohnpeian style hut they are rectangular in shape missing one side this is where you enter. The center is ground level and the sides are raised concrete platforms the back and highest platform reserved for the chiefs and men with highest titles. There are times when I find picture taking inappropriate and this was one of them. I already stood out as the only Menwai at the occasion and I did not want to stand out even more by snapping pictures. Furthermore, I did not want to break some sort of cultural taboo, so there will be no pictures on this post. Now lets get back to the story at hand. I would like to warn my readers that this next part is a little graphic however, leaving it out would not give justice to the story. Aunt Patti you will probably enjoy reading this part Caroline you might want to skip down to the next paragraph.
We arrived to the slaughtering of pigs. This was something that I have never witnessed. As westerners we have the privilege and the money to go to grocery stores or butcher and buy our meats. We simply go to the counter and select from a plethora of meats or ask for the cut that we want. The butcher goes to the back cuts the meat and brings it to you neatly packaged and labeled with a price. Someone else dose the dirty work for us. In Pohnpei that luxury if thats what you would like to call does not exist nor is it part of their culture. Pigs are raised to be sold, killed, and eaten, people with large pigs have what they call on the island pig wealth. Like I said we arrived to the slaughtering of pigs. The Slaughtering is done by the older teen boys and younger. The young ones watch how it is done and again unknowingly learn at the same time. It really is quite a simply process the pig is hog tied and placed on its side. Then one of the boys comes over with a sharpened machete. He positions the blade over the heart and takes his stance. With precise aim and a swift jab the machete is thrust into the heart of the pig. At this point the pig lets out a loud squeal and shakes violently taking a few moments to die. The first scream sent shivers down my spine, and the moments that the pig squealed and took its last breath felt like hours, and then it was over. We went back towards the hut where they were gutting and cleaning the pigs. The site and smell of the guts was almost sickening if I had eaten lunch it probably would have come up. The smell sat in the humid air and it seemed that you could almost feel it. Again the older boys gutted the pigs as the younger ones watched again learning how. As I starred at the small and large intestines and other organs of the pig and watched the boys execute the cleaning of the animal with precession and accuracy I found myself amazed. These boys knew exactly what they were doing these methods had been passed down from generation to generation and they were continuing the tradition. After we had our fill of blood and guts it was time to get to drinking Sakau.
I was relived when I entered the hut because the smell of pig guts was replaced by the smell of Sakau. It was not till I entered the hut that I realized how many people were really at this event. I would estimate around 150 + it makes a Maehr family gathering look like a small picnic. We grabbed our seats my a bucket and rays a log. It was around 1pm when we sat down to start drinking Sakau. When we first sat down there were about 5 people around that stone with us. We began to drink. Although, I knew it when I arrived I quickly realized when I sat down that I was the only Menwai at this event. It was me inside the hut and then 150+ Pohnpeians the only one who was actually familiar with me was Ray. This was slightly dis-concerning. Even though I had gotten used to being a minority wherever I went this was different. I was experiencing, and participating in a unique part of the culture and I felt I had overlooked a few things. For one I did not bring anything to offer to the family/chiefs, nor was I introduced or did I pay my respects to the chiefs. I thought I had broken some sort of cultural taboo and was very nervous at the time. Furthermore, I soon realized that my seat choice was not a wise decision. Originally I thought the bucket would be quite comfortable, but I soon realized that its rimmed edge was digging into my ass quite uncomfortably. At first I ignored it and the Sakau helped that, but after a while it caused one of my legs to fall asleep. This became another problem. There were no other seats to be had so I kept having to shake my leg discreetly without looking like to much of a weirdo. I also had to keep up with the Sakau rotation passing the cup in the right direction. After a while of this someone in our circle got up to leave and somehow I was able to snag a actually chair. This is when I got really comfortable and began glancing around the room checking everything out.
As I looked around occasionally I would catch eyes with someone doing the same thing. Only they would do a double take because they would be surprised to see a lone menwai in the room. They would look at me and I them and then they would point to their head. This was a hand symbol I had learned that meant you were Sakaued I would nod agreeing and they would smile. At one point I caught eyes with one of the chiefs standing at his post. I nodded my head and communicated to him using male telepathic communication (MTC), thank you for having me I am very grateful this is a beautiful event. He nodded back understanding what I had communicated. As we sat and drank you would hear pigs being slaughtered every 15 minutes or so, after a while I did not even alarm you. There was an older women sitting near us on the hut. Her Moo Moo did not even reach high enough to cover her breasts. She made no effort to conceal them. It seemed her attitude was I old and these are my breast and its to hot to wear a bra. When she spoke all the women around her listened even I found myself trying to listen. Even though I would never understand. Her expression seemed to say so much her experiences, her life, knowledge, struggle, happiness, and sorrow . All of which would be totally different experiences then a western person her age. The proceedings of the wake were also very interesting.
Families would come in bringing offerings to the chiefs and families and for the event. This would include food, drinks, and Sakau. People would march in with the offerings give them to the chief and then the highest ranking man from that family would make a speech. Although, I never understood what they said I am guessing it was a type of elegy. Pounds and Pounds of Sakau were brought one plant was brought in to be drank that was the length of the house and took 4 large Pohnpeians to carry. I am guessing it exceeded 100lbs in weight and that is probably a low estimate. When the new Sakau was brought in it was time to refresh the stones.
Fresh roots replaced the old mash on all the stones and the ceremony began. First it was pounded once every stone had pounded the Sakau it was time for fresh Hibiscus to be brought it. The chief waved his hand and everyone pounding began banging their rocks against the Sakau stones. It was a symphony of sounds starting slowly and escalating. Then the hibiscus was brought it the chief waved his hand and it stopped. Then the drinking began the first cups always being brought to the chiefs, and then after that they were offered to the men with the next highest ranking. The chiefs would call them up to have their cup. This all went like clockwork the chief calling title after title until all had drank.
Eventually the pigs were brought in around 12 pigs had been slaughtered and then cooked in an ohm. After that food was distributed to everyone, included pig, fish, drinks, snacks. Anything that the families had brought was offered to everyone. Keep in mind that this whole time everyone was still drinking Sakau including myself. Furthermore, by this point our rock had become abandoned so it was just Ray and I drinking cup after cup. Ray Squeezing and myself catching. After about 4 hours of drinking Ray and I excused ourselves I thanked the chiefs we grabbed some fish and left. We went up to another hut where we sat and drank a few beers. That night we fixed dinner at the apartment and I slept.
Reflecting back on this event as I wrote this was very interesting. Although I did not realize it when I was their or I just did not get it. I had experienced a unique part of a culture. A ceremony that has been occurring on this island for ages. I had experienced a part of the culture that your average tourist of Pohnpei would never see. I had also began to Reflect upon my time here in Pohnpei because it was beginning to wrap up. I had seen so much and experienced a great deal. The culture and way of life of the people had impacted me. I am sitting here now in Palau writing this. The week after 7-28 to the 30th I spent on Black Coral Atoll where I snorkeled relaxed and reflected. CSP was running a youth environmental summer camp which turned out to be a great program. It was a nice culmination to my time in Pohnpei. After 3 days their it was time for me to head back to the mainland because I had a flight to catch. Like that my time in Pohnpei had ended I had mad some great friends who I know miss me as I them. The experience is likely to impact the rest of my life. This will conclude my writings on Pohnpei now I am in Palau where I have been busy working and relaxing catching up on some much needed rest. My parents are here and they are enjoying it just as much.
Palau is arguably one of the most beautiful places in the world. I realize this is a bold statement for a person like myself I realize I am young and have not seen much of the world I have seen a good slice. My passport is filled with stamps from Spain, England, Bahamas, Brazil, Belize, Honduras, Turks and Caicos, US and British Virgin Islands to name a few. However, Palau is it. Here the forces of nature come togeather to create a beautiful archipelago that creates an incredible amount of biodiversity. The life that occurs here is overwhelming to the senses. the 300+ Rock islands that dot the sea create lush green mountains. Where just below a immense marine ecosystem strives with life. It is a place where all the elements come together creating a beautiful and fascinating medium. The light creates colors that can not be captured by a camera. However, that is all for now more will follow on Palau I hope you all enjoyed.