The College of Micronesia-FSM celebrated Founding Day with a celebration of the cultures of the Federated States of Micronesia. The following images are roughly in chronological order. The day started with a parade from Spanish Wall up to the Pohnpei state track at PICS high school. At the field a number of the groups presented dances. All errors are strictly those of the author, please send corrections!
For those abroad who might experience difficulty loading the page, there is an overlapping subset of the images available in a publicly accessible FaceBook photo album. The dress styles of Kosrae is also echoed on my blog.
The female clothing culture of Kosrae is centered on the dresses women wear. These dresses have evolved and changed over time. This is their Pacific island culture, a proud tradition that is truly unique in Micronesia. The Kosraen women were not just wearing any dress during the cultural march, they were wearing dresses and hair styles from the past as well as the present. The following two images were captured by Harvey Segal in Utwe, Kosrae, in 1965. Julia Nena on the left, Leone Nena is on the right.
Forty-four years later Pualani and Cantina echo the images from the past
Cantina
collar sleeve detail
Pualani Cantina Kenye
kenye
Kimberly oils in preparation
Kosraean period dress
main street
Pohnpei campus float
Yap float
Yap marchers
Nukap float
Kosrae marchers
Sapwafik
Pohnpei national
Chuuk float
Mortlocks float
PingMok float
PingMok
Police escort
Administration
Warriors on the march
Marchers
Kosraeans
Towing the line
End of the line
Steel drum
Roofing sheet
Tank bangers
Faculty
Cantina, Sue Ellen
Nukuoran black pearls
On display were Nukuoran black pearls, gems from the seas of Micronesia. Contact Nukuoran Black Pearls for further information. Jim Fruchterman has also written about Nukuoran pearls.
Sakau
Kidou: protection for the dancers
Yapese dancers
Yap_stick dance
Stick dance
Yap
Yap
Yap
Nukap
Nukap
Kosrae
Kosrae_stick_dance
Sapwafik
Sapwafikese_dancer
Sapwafik
Sapwafik
Paies youth group dancers
Pohnpei national
Konok is also protection for the dancer
Pohnpei
Marcella
Pohnpei dancers panorama
Theodora Kimberly Marcella
Pohnpei national
Kim Marcella
Kimberly Kristina
Chuuk
Chuuk
Chuuk
Divine Grace, Breechlyn, Mayleen
Palm frondlet snapper
Palm frondlet snapper
Nukap
Nukap
Nukap
Nukap
PingMok
PingMok
Pingalapese_stick_dance
Theodora Judy Arleen
Mortlocks