March 28 - I returned yesterday from a trip to Pohnpei, the State just east of Chuuk and the location of the national capitol, Palikir. I spent four days in Pohnpei with my wife, and my purpose was to get an appeal brief filed in the FSM Supreme Court. The court rules here mirror the U.S. Federal Rules in most ways, but there are some local variations that must be taken into account. I took (and passed) the FSM Bar Exam last August, and while it was much like an American Bar Exam, there were some distinctly Micronesian issues. With every question, a lawyer in Micronesia must remember that traditions are sacrosanct and trump the Constitution.
That is a smart concept. Native American tribes allowed much of their culture to be stripped away, leaving new generations to flounder in unmarked territory, without the benefit of a heritage. Micronesians have chosen to hold their traditions close and to make sure that modern concepts do not crush traditional values. Having made that choice, the people in the FSM have embraced modern ways, and sometimes the new ideas break the old ways - like putting new wine in old wineskins. Some new ways come with trappings that just won't allow existing practices to continue unscathed.
We don't examine new ideas much. We tend to accept them as they are presented. That may be due to marketing programs that make us want new things wrapped in a nice package. We don't want to examine or choose how we use the new thing - we have been made to want it in the form it is sold to us. Perhaps it is time to really think about all the accoutrements that are included in the package. Why can't we discard anything that isn't an essential element of the new way? In most cases, we can; we just don't take the time or make the effort.
In Pohnpei, the people there don't seem to be as happy as those in Chuuk, although they should be. They have nice paved roads. The roadsides are beautiful, with growing plants and flowers and closely cut grass. The island is mountainous, so the higher elevation means it stays a little cooler than in Chuuk. It also rains over 350 inches each year. Everything grows. Yet, as a culture, the Pohnpeians seem to be more serious.
I watched a group of men prepare Sakau. Sakau is a drink made from the kava plant, and it produces a feeling of euphoria and relaxation. They were making it as part of a celebration for some Australians who work for a satellite technology company; one of them assured me that Chuuk will have adequate internet service by October. Even though he made the statement prior to drinking the sakau, I will not hold my breath. I will rejoice if and when it happens.
Perhaps the sakau explains why Pohnpeians seem more serious than the Chuukese, who prefer cannabis. Your drug choice is important. Or perhaps in Pohnpei it is the presence of spirits that keep them from laughing out loud. Locals will not visit Nan Madol after sunset.
I went to Nan Madol on my last trip. I drove there alone and walked down the long trail to see the ancient city. It is constructed of five-sided basalt "logs", has streets that are canals, and covers about 160 acres. It was a spiritual center 800-1000 years ago. I could feel it. Of course, it was a dismal, rainy day - perfect for enjoying a scary walk through a haunted forest. I didn't go this time, as my wife was not excited about meeting ghosts from the seventh century.
One thing I noticed and appreciated about Pohnpei; they don't eat dogs. Their dogs are healthy, fat, and fair sized. They are also generally friendly. In Chuuk, that is not the case. Dogs here are smaller, typically suffering from ticks and fleas and often from mange. Yet, they eat dogs here. No wonder the local dogs are not very friendly; if somebody viewed me as dinner, I wouldn't be all that cordial either.
Yet, most of the people we meet here steadfastly maintain that they will not eat dog meat. (At least not any more) They see our dogs and can tell we take good care of them, and they know we would not appreciate tips on how to cook them. I see a lot of pups that never seem to reach adult size - they disappear. I choose to believe that they died from worms.
When we flew over here, a woman who lived in Majuro (Marshall Islands) told us about the culture in the Pacific islands and how it was common to eat dogs. She has tried to educate Marshallese about the benefit of making a dog your best friend, with some success.
It is one of the odd aspects of living here. It reminds me that our culture is not universal. Things we assume are universal truths are just not accepted in other parts of the world. That is sometimes why American intentions go unfulfilled - we assume that everybody thinks like us, and we make arguments based on those assumptions. Call it arrogance, or maybe ignorance, but it stems from so many Americans never learning about other cultures. If we would make that effort, we might achieve much more in our relations with other nations.
I won't be eating dogs, though.
No comments:
Post a Comment