Thatching

April 01, 2015

The SC/SS 115 Ethnobotany class engaged in sewing thatch roofing pieces. Although the supplier was concerned that the supplies would not be sufficient, the supplies were sufficient. In the past the class has had to throw away unused materials, which is unnecessarily wasteful. This term the class did not have excess material which has to be thrown away. As the Kosraeans might say, "Mana fal."

Elizabeth Augustine removes the nohk using her teeth

Center rib of the frond of Metroxylon amicarum is too thick to bend, so half of the center rib is removed to permit folding of the leaf. If the nohk breaks, then a hole is created in the thatch.

The long nohk pieces can be gathered to make a local broom

Lina Lawrence, Petery Peter

Patty Mario, Simon Augustine Jr., and Beverly Billy

Miki Fritz

Simon and Beverly

Herpelyn Ilon

Alexander Kenrad of Yap. In Yap only the women weave thatch. The men build the frame of the traditional building.

Beverly Billy

Beverly practices removing the nohk

Miki tries her hand at the craft.

Darleen Charley and Lerina Nena

Jamie Paul, Bryan Wichep, and Lerina Nena

Daryll Keller practices splitting the nohk

Gordon Loyola looks over the work being done by Elizabeth

Lerina Nena

Darleen Charley and Lerina Nena

Stephanie Usiel

Class in session, outside. Everyone paying full attention, no one asleep.

Patty Mario

Darleen and Lerina

Lerina works to get the weave even

Elizabeth demonstrates mastery in her straight, evenly spaced weave

Miki and Lina

Franson attempts doakoahs en Pohnpei: the fronds folded at thirty to forty degree angle. Everyone else during the session worked on doakoahs en Ruk, the ninety degree angle fold. My hunch is that the angled thatch might have dried faster in the humid forests in which Pohnpeians built their huts.