Material culture in Micronesia

 Material culture presentations in class

Rollin displayed a Pohnpeian kiam


Preston presents an outer island hat called a hanir

Outer island hat from coconut fronds


Jamielyn presents an outer island Yapese gematlag, a woven frondles that is hung inside a home to spiritually protect the home. 


Outer island Yapese gematlag made from a coconut frond


Austin brought in a Mwoakillese dok, a food pounder made from Pemphis acidula wood.


Mwoakillese dok (long oh).


Suean brought in a miniature fohtoh, a traditional Kosraean basket that functions much like the Pohnpeian kiam. The fohtoh is most commonly seen at funerals where traditional foods are brought in fohtoh, redistributed, and then taken home in fohtoh.


Kosraean fohtoh


Kosraean fohtoh


Marikai brought in Marshallese aimimono. Aimimono is a term used broadly for any hand made woven handicrafts. 


The items are made primarily from pandanus leaves and include a crown, purse, basket, and wall hanging.


Vern brought in an outer island Yapese fan


An outer island Yapese aenipeo (fan)


Keesha brought in a Kosraean pulat sroanu (plate leaf coconut), known on Pohnpei as a pwaht (plate). 

Kosraean pulat sroanu

Trevor brought in outer island Yapese coconut frond spinners, gafeolang. Although often seen as an island toy for children, Trevor noted that navigators also used them for wind direction and strength.

Marco presented on the ngarangar, a coconut drinking cup reserved for serving sakau. At this point this was a third student presenting about the ngarangar and not having brought on in. 


Suelee brought in a banana leaf (tehn uht) which is used to cover the ground oven made from basalt rocks (uhm). Pohnpei builds larger uhms than Kosrae and uses banana leaves rather than wild taro leaves as is seen in Kosrae.

Brennan brought in an outer island Yapese toy for children called a liyus. 

Made from palm frond. A toy on a long frond midrib.

Quincy spoke about outer island Yapese rope but brought in no sample to display. The men make rope from coconut fiber in the outer islands, a long process all done by hand. 

Mati brought in an actual ngarangar, called a kohwa when filled with sacred sakau.

Coconut shell ngarangar.

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