Karat is Proclaimed the State Banana of Pohnpei

By Dr. Lois Englberger

An exciting part of the 2005 World Food Day in Pohnpei was the Proclamation of Governor Johnny P. David, setting forth Karat as the Pohnpei State Banana!

The purpose of this proclamation is for awareness, and to help support activities for increasing the production and use of Karat.

The idea for this came from Wehns Billen at the strategy planning session of the Island Food Community of Pohnpei in April 2004. As he said, "Other places have state flowers and state birds, why not Pohnpei have its own state banana?"

Excerpts of the proclamation included this:

WHEREAS, scientific research has been conducted on Pohnpei since the year 1998 to catologue and study the nutritional contents, value and types of bananas grown on the island, and

WHEREAS, such study has revealed the banana popularly called Karat in Pohnpei to be a valuable source of beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, and other essential nutrients that are important for good health, and,

WHEREAS, a commemorative stamp series of Karat was issued by the FSM Postal Series on October 16, 2005, to coincide with World Food Day,

BE IT RESOLVED that …..Karat be known as the state banana of Pohnpei.

Proclaimed this 19th day of October, 2005.

Johnny P. David, Governor, State of Pohnpei