Role of Food in Pohnpei Culture

by Dr. Lois Englberger

Over 80 people met on 13 December at the Seabreeze Hotel to discuss the theme of local food production and consumption for health and wealth, as hosted by the Island Food Community of Pohnpei and collaborating agencies. Participants were from major community groups and government and non-government agencies.

Adelino Lorens, Chairman of IFCP and Pohnpei Chief of Agriculture, summed up IFCP activities for the year 2004: World Food Day; food crops conservation, documentation, and analysis; dietary habits research, food processing development; and awareness materials. Dr. Lois Englberger presented two key messages: 1) that health is connected to what we eat and 2) that yellow varieties provide protection against diabetes and other health problems. She mentioned that even the white varieties of local food contain some provitamin A carotenoid content, which is more than rice, which contains none at all.

Dr. Rufino Mauricio, Keynote Speaker, spoke on the role of food in traditional Pohnpeian culture. He used history and legends to explain how food underlies all parts of our lives. He described the way of life in the old days, and that people then baked or roasted their foods or ate them raw, but that our lives have now been greatly influenced by newly-adopted things, including the iron pot. With that item, people began boiling and steaming their food, from which the term "ainpot" was derived for this method of cooking. Later also frying was adopted, but he mentioned that this is one cooking method, which needs to be used in moderation. He stressed, "If we can prepare our food without frying, we will have better health." His full presentation is available with IFCP.

Perdus Ehsa stated that there is an increase in local food marketed and more varieties, in comparison to 25 years ago, and that this needs to further increase in quantity and quality. Professor Howard Rice described College of Micronesia-FSM work on developing new recipes using local food. As many conference participants indicated interest in a cooking class, he offered to look into this possibility.

An historical example was presented by Dr. Johnny Hedson to show that the Pohnpei people were once "lean and mean." He said that now 80% of people 35-55 years of age are obese and at great risk to diabetes. He described diabetes as the "disease of convenience" as less physical activity is closely related to that health problem. Dr. Eliaser Johnson, Berno Hedson, and Jackson Phillip discussed health and breastfeeding programs and food production. Julie Timothy presented on Kosrae nutrition work and stressed that inter-agency collaboration was an important part of their work.

There was a very active participation by the participants, including Senators Silas Henry and Magdalena Walter.

Skits by the Seinwar Headstart children and Nanwel en Awak women's group greatly livened up the meeting and brought many smiles. In closing the meeting Dr. Eliuel Pretrick stressed that no one is to blame for the present situation and that all need to work together on bringing back local food into the daily meals.

Thanks is extended to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Pacific German Regional Forestry Project for providing funds for the conference, and also to the two CDC visitors Abe Parvanta and Dan Sadler for their participation.