In 1909, the German colonial government tried to force the residents of Sokehs to build a road around the northern end of Sokehs Island. When the people didn’t cooperate, they were beaten and humiliated. Ultimately, this sparked the Sokehs Rebellion, Pohnpei’s last and most famous insurrection. The German administrator Gustav Boeder was murdered near Mwalok along with a few of his men, and the rebels, under the leadership of a lesser chief titled Soumadau, then gathered strength, attacked, and besieged Kolonia. The Germans imported 400 Melanesian soldiers to hunt down the insurgents, and several German warships shelled the rebel refuge on Sokehs Mountain, forcing the rebels to flee to other sites. Within a few months, all of the rebels had either surrendered or been captured. The leaders of the rebellion were executed at a spot near the northernmost tip of Kolonia (called Kumwunlaid) and the people of Sokehs were exiled by force to mining camps in Palau and Yap, their lands given to immigrants from Pohnpei and Chuuk’s outer islands.
Portions of the “road” (which is actually a stone foot-path) can still be seen, winding through the mangroves not far from the current road. The longest and most accessible segment begins opposite the Nan Imwinsapw Park and runs east for 0.26 km (0.16 mi). One of the best times to do the walk is during high tide, when the mangrove trees are reflected in the still waters of the swamp forest. The German Road is one of the few registered historical sites in the State.
Nan Imwinsapw en Epwel
Nan Imwinsapw is a name that is found in several places around Pohnpei, roughly translating as “cape” or “point” and more literally “in the tip of the land.” In the case of Sokehs Island, the area is significant because of the presence of a large number of prehistoric stone ruins at the foot of the mountain and because of an association with important myths, including the story of a Yapese magician named Sou Iap (not to be confused with Soupaip, the ancient name of Sokehs Island and also Sokehs Rock). Nan Imwinsapw en Epwel is also said to be the only location in all of Sokehs Island where coconut crabs can be found. A small, ill-conceived park / picnic area near the coast commemorates the spot.