Pohnpeian Legends

Earlier this year my 7th graders retold Pohnpeian legends in English and Pohnpeian. Here's a sampling...

The Legend of Sapwkini

Retold by Venniesha and Santiago

Long, long ago there was a man named Sapwkini. One day he was sitting and thinking of something to do. He wanted to see an island, so he built a big canoe.

He sailed and sailed on the ocean. One day, Sapwkini met an octopus named Lidakihki. Lidakihki asked Sapwkini, “Where are you going?” And Sapwkini said that he wanted to find an island. Lidakihki showed him a reef, but the reef was too small. So Sapwkini went back home.

He told his friends to bring their canoes and rocks and soil. They all went back to the little reef and built an island with the rocks and soil. Sapwkini named the island Pohnpei.

The Legend of Isokelekel

Retold by Melyann and Orien

Long long ago, the Nanmwarki of Pohnpei was Saudeleur. Saudeleur had many wives. One of his wives went to the well to get water for Saudeleur. She met a man named Luhk Nansapwe at the river. She talked with Luhk Nansapwe until her water pot broke. She didn’t know what to do, so she cried and told Saudeleur that Luhk Nansapwe was the one who broke the pot.

Saudeleur got angry and told Soukomwpsul to bring Luhk Nansapwe to him. He put Luhk Nansapwe in prison for days, but a man saved him. He put Luhk Nansapwe on a fish called a trout. The trout carried Luhk Nansapwe to Kosrae.

A woman saw Luhk Nansapwe on the beach and she took him to her house. Luhk Nansapwe lived with the woman for days until he was about to die. He poured a lemon into the woman’s eye and the woman got pregnant. The woman gave birth to a boy named Isokelekel.

When Isokelekel grew up, he heard that Saudeleur was the Nanmwarki of Pohnpei. He wanted to defeat Saudeleur. Isokelekel collected all of his men and sailed to Pohnpei. When they got to Pohnpei, they started to fight. Isokelekel killed Saudeleur, and Isokelekel became the Nahnmwarki of Pohnpei.

The Legend of the Eel

Retold by Rihna, Meleny, and Bentrick

Long, long ago there was a couple who lived on Pohnpei. One day the couple went fishing and they found a small rock. They took the rock home with them. When they got home, they saw that the rock had turned into an eel!

The man and woman took care of the eel and it grew big. But one day the woman asked the man, “Why don’t we eat the eel?” The eel heard what the woman said.

In the morning the couple went to kill the eel, but the eel ran after them to eat them! The couple ran under a big rock, and the eel ran after them and ate them up. The rock is called Takai Dingidingi. Today people go there and take pictures.

The Legend of Lepen Palikir and Saudeleur

Retold by Jeffery and Detrick

Once upon a time there was a man named Saudeleur who lived in Madolenihmw. The people always brought Saudeleur food, but there was a man named Lepen Palikir who didn’t want to give Saudeleur his food.

Saudeleur sent his guard to bring Lepen Palikir. The guard got on a rock and rode the rock to Lepin Palikir’s house. The guard told Lepen Palikir to go see Saudeleur.

Lepen Palikir turned into a chicken and flew to Saudeleur. He flew and made a mountain called Dolen Pwisehn Malek. Lepen Palikir flew to Saudeleur and killed him. Then Lepen Palikir was the king of Pohnpei.