Like most other islands here in the Pacific, Pohnpei’s culture plays an important role in almost every aspect of Pohnpeian society. Although loss of culture and traditional practices is a major issue here on the island, efforts have been made to teach the younger generations the island’s culture but still western ideology and influence has greatly damaged the link between the Pohnpeian people and their traditional ways. However despite all that there are still a few aspects of the culture that still hold strong to this day, the main one being respect. Here on Pohnpei respect is always given, especially to elders. It’s not uncommon for people to greet you or offer you food and water when you are exploring the island, it is how people show their respect for someone. People are typically always willing to help you out if you are in need of some help, whether it is with directions somewhere or getting information regarding a particular subject.
For more information regarding Pohnpeian history and culture (especially the way things used to be before western influence) we highly recommend reading these books:
- Upon a Stone Altar by David Hanlon (1988) – although the book is no longer in print you can download a PDF of the book at this link here.
The Pohnpei to English online dictionary is also a useful resource to have with you on your adventures, with it you can easily find the meaning of Pohnpeian words in English.
- Pohnpei-English Online Dictionary can be found here.
- The site also has an English Finderlist so that you can find the Pohnpeian equivalent of an English word.
Other good sources of information regarding Pohnpei’s early history, culture, and traditions: