Odds and Ends

Sakau  Shortly after I arrived on the island I was asked by a couple of my local education colleagues to join them in drinking sakau.  So far, this has happened on three different occasions. You can Google sakau and find out more about it than I can share here.  But briefly, it is a thick, mud-brown, gloopy, mildly narcotic concoction made from the roots of a pepper plant indigenous to Pohnpei.  It tastes about like it looks—very earthy, not horrible, but not tasty either.  Perhaps it’s an acquired taste….  Anyway, the effects are interesting.  I personally didn’t seem to experience much more than a kind of tingling sense in my mouth and perhaps a sense of relaxation throughout my upper body.  The effects on a guy I was with, however, were more dramatic.  He was a lively conversationalist at the beginning of the evening, but his speech progressively slowed to the point where he was pretty much asleep before we left.

As interesting as the effects on individuals, the cultural aspects of drinking sakau are equally fascinating—the when, where and why it takes place.  I went to three public locations where drinking sakau was taking place, almost exclusively by men, although I understand it happens in homes as well, with women involved.  The first location was pretty unsavory—enclosed dark, dank, cement walls, dirt floors, puddles of water with crude tables and chairs.  Not some place I will suggest to Lin when she arrives.  The centerpiece was a large stone surface where the root was pounded by young men with large rocks.  Once prepared, the brew was scooped up and poured into cocoanut half shells and taken from table to table where each individual took a sip and passed it on to the next person at the table.  The second and third places I went had pretty much the same process, but were in outdoor settings—essentially someone’s yard.  These places seemed more congenial with people greeting others, all of whom seemed to know each other, often as relatives.  On both occasions my host pointed out notable men who were legislators in Pohnpei State or who were cultural leaders by virtue of family or clan associations.  We had a interesting conversation with one Senator who was particularly interested in educational issues. 

Gradually my host filled me in on the intricacies of drinking Sakau.  There are dos and don’ts involved in who gets served first at the table, how you pass the coconut shell to your neighbor, how you hold the shell when taking your swallow, etc.  Mind numbing in more ways than one….  At any rate, the whole purpose seems to provide a way for people to unwind with others in a congenial atmosphere designed to lessen rather than heighten tensions.  I asked some Peace Corps folks whether there was any negative or legal connotations in consuming this narcotic.  Apparently not—quite the contrary, it is a staple at ceremonies, festivals, funerals, etc.  Below are a couple of pictures of the kava plant root balls destined to become sakau.

Japanese Ambassador  Earlier this week the Peace Corps volunteers were invited to a dinner hosted by the Japanese ambassador to FSM.  Along with Peace Corps volunteers and the U.S. Ambassador, the invitees included both Japanese and Australian volunteers who are in programs in their own countries that are similar to our PC.  The setting was spectacular.  The ambassador’s house sits on a bluff facing the coast and features a large coastal land form that juts hundreds of feet into the air.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have my i-phone to capture it.  Anyway, the ambassador and his wife know how to throw a party, in a very diplomatic, dignified way, of course.  It’s interesting how times change.  This island was controlled (and heavily fortified) by the Japanese during WW II and was bombed extensively by U.S. forces.  One of its tourist attractions are areas where Japanese artillery and tanks remain, rusting in the jungle.  Of personal interest is the fact that my father was stationed not too far from here on the island of Biak during the war.  I wonder what he would think of the fact that 70+ years later his son was invited by the Japanese ambassador to applaud joint volunteer endeavors on this island.

People  During our PC orientation we were provided with some stats, most of which were discouraging.  Pohnpei has about 35,000 people of which 34% live below the poverty line (although I don’t know what that is).  The infant mortality rate is 15%; even more disturbing, the under-five mortality rate is 21%.  76% do not have internet and 4% of the population leave the island annually to seek a better life elsewhere.  Although it is no longer a protectorate of the U.S., it retains a special status that allows all FSM citizens to migrate freely to the US without the immigrant hassles experienced by other nationalities (no doubt much to the chagrin of the likes of Trump or Cruz). 

Despite the obvious hardships, these are really friendly people.  When I am out and about, nearly everyone makes eye contact, smiles, and greets me.  I have managed to say “Kaselehlie” (Pohnpeian version of Aloha) without generating too many chuckles, although the rest of the language eludes me.  Everybody speaks at least a little English.  In fact, English is supposed to be the only language spoken for all classes in high school.  That’s not really happening, but that’s the goal.  Even the teenagers in school are unfailingly polite, although they are still teenagers and manage to bug their teachers.  Not unlike the U.S., way too many people are overweight and suffer the health consequences.  I passed a large billboard today that warned of the health dangers of salt—suggesting not to salt Kool-Aid??  Apparently much of their diet is imported and consists of canned goods, soda, etc.  One habit that is especially prevalent is chewing betel nut.  Many, many people have teeth and gums stained red, including many teachers.  I often see teachers with a wad of betel nut, typically including some lime and tobacco, stuck in their cheeks.

I have read much about the Pohnpeian traditional culture and its inevitable clash with modern Western ways.  This entry is already sounding too much like a textbook, so I won’t bore you with details you can read elsewhere—just a couple of examples that I have run into.  When people speak of families they are referring to extended families, not just the nuclear family we think of.  Invariably when I am introduced to a Pohnpeian by another Pohnpeian he or she will add the fact that they are related—brothers, aunts, cousins, etc. abound.  Everybody is related to everyone else, and they take these extended relationships very seriously.  It is one of the problems in the schools—family ties and the respect demanded often get in the way of sound educational judgment as to who is qualified or who needs to be reprimanded.  Another example—funerals.  They are a BIG deal, often lasting for 3 or 4 days.  I stopped briefly with the Elementary Education Chief at a funeral of a special education teacher.  There was probably 200- 300 people sitting around outdoors—under trees and under a tiki bar kind of setting.  No one appeared to be mourning—quite the contrary—nor were people dressed in funeral finery.  Men were bringing in the Kava roots for sakau.  I’m sure there was mourning going on somewhere, but what I saw looked more like a giant picnic.  Anyway, these kinds of cultural traditions are becoming a problem, both for schools trying to reform and for businesses tied to a money economy.  There is no such things as substitute teachers or principals, and people can be absent from work for days at a time.  Absenteeism is a major problem for both students and teachers, but more about that at another time.

Dress  I add this to inform Lin who keeps wondering what clothes to bring.  There are (typically) older women who wear the moo-moos (sp?) pictured, but more common are the fancy skirts.  You see women and girls of all ages wearing these.  That said, young people are just as likely to wear western styles.  Other than wearing the uniform shirt, kids in school typically dress the same as their western counterparts.  Flip flops rule as far as footwear.  In most classrooms, the kids remove their flip flops at the door and are barefoot in class.  The women pictured below is standing at the counter of the neighborhood store located next to my apartment.  The large bags on the floor to her right are filled with rice.  People buy a lot of rice!

Cars and trucks  As I mentioned before, dead cars and trucks are all over the place.  What came as a surprise is the fact that there is no consistency with regard to which side of the car the steering wheel and controls are located.  While people generally drive on the right side of the road, there is an equal number of left and right hand drive vehicles.  That became obvious early on when I tried to get in a taxi with shaded windows—almost sat on the driver’s lap.  Nor are there any regulations with regard to seat belts, child restraints, etc.  Little Japanese pick-up trucks are often loaded with 6-8 people in the back.  Little kids hang out windows, etc.  Below is a much improved section of the road that encircles the island.  The Japanese did a big road project, improving this section of road located in the Madolenihmw province.  The last picture was taken along this road.  My driver gave the Pohnpeian name for this mountain which translates to "Standing Rock."