Location: Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia Length: 9 min
Pohnpei is the largest island of the Federated States of Micronesia, about midway between Honolulu and Manila. The technical knowledge of how to build a traditional “warasap” canoe nearly died out in Pohnpei before a project in the 1990s to build a new one preserved an important cultural heritage. Project organizers built that canoe, the last one ever built, and shot a video about it. But what has become of the canoe is the most surprising part of the story. Maybe some day the warasap canoe will have a fine home where people can come and see it.
Produced in 2012 by Adam Thompson
Copyright 2012 by Adam Thompson
Web links:
Canoe Building (Guampedia)
Pohnpei (Wikipedia)
Traditional Culture (Federated States of Micronesia Visitors Board)