Story and images by Marcyleen Andreas
The Legend and Stories of Nan Madol Ruin
In an ancient year, there were two expert brothers who came from Kataupeidi (Yap) to Pohnpei. These two brothers have been sailing around the world looking for a peaceful and quiet place so that they can build their own worshiping place and this place was considered to be a sacred place for them. These two brothers were Olosohpa and Olosihpa and like I said before these two brothers came to Pohnpei so that they can build a place for them to worship their own gods.
When these two men first came to Pohnpei the first place they arrived in was Sokehs and in those days this island was called Soukehs, meaning that the people there don’t want other people to include in their place only them. The first place where these two brothers came upon was Ipwal and they started to build there worshiping place but this place was never succeed so they moved to another place. They moved from place to place hoping that they will found the right place to build on, they then came to Tupwen Dongalap in Pahndau Nett facing Awak place but still this place was failed. Later on they came to UH (Dehpehk-Imwinsapw) and Alohkapw unfortunately they failed again. These two brothers were so eager on finding a good place so they stop searching for a minute and prayed so that the spirits or the gods can give them a sign or hint on where to find land.
Once they open up their eyes they saw a bright light coming down from the sky and fall down into the ocean and that’s when they climbed a high hill they called Kupwur and located the place — a good place to build their worshiping place. Apparently these two brothers were alone so once they found the good place to build the worshiping place, they then started out their work on building the sacred kingdom on the land they called Kahnimwsou. So they started to build Nan Madol. While these two brothers were building Nan Madol, the big rocks that they used for building the place were from the rocks of Pwisehn Malek in Sokehs. So these two brothers started out with their construction.
Years passed and their work was finally finished along with the 92 Islets that were also build in that place. They were said to have used black magic to pile of those big rocks and organized them. These two brothers built this place and once they finished their work, Olosihpa died leaving Olosohpa in charge and that is when Olosohpa ruled and became the first Saudeleur.
Surprising Moments
Surprisingly, Nan Madol was built by only two men but once you will visited that place you will be amazed for the wonderful creation that was made there. Nobody knows how Nan Madol was built and how the big piles of rocks can be so well-organized when there were only two people that built it. This place is full of surprises, it has been told that there was a rock in that place that when a woman gets pregnant, she will have to touch the stone in that case she won’t have hard time delivering the baby. Like I said Nan Madol is full of surprises!
The place has a ruin that was located under water and it has big walls — an underwater kingdom. Simultaneously, there is a place in the ocean that’s full of shark and you it is said that you can never cross over that place unless you throw a rock in the ocean. If the sharks take the rock that means you are safe to cross the ocean but if the sharks do not come, that means you cannot cross. People cannot cross if they did not throw the rocks in the ocean or else they might be eaten by the sharks.
There were lots of surprising things about this place that will surely amazed a lot of people. Like those large piles of rocks — no one knows how two people, only two people, can organize those big piles of rocks together but most importantly how they manage to carry them.
Trip To Nan Madol
On the day of our visit to this place I was so excited and so curious. Well actually this is not my first time to visit this place but I was so excited because on my other visits, I only went there on school trips and we only walked around the place without knowing the truth and the true story of Nan Madol.
That’s why I was so excited and curious because this trip is different than those other trips; I get to learn the true story of Nan Madol and also those surprising creations that were made.
I was so amazed once we got there because there were places that I explored or saw that I didn’t get the chance to see in my other trips. Moreover, I got to see the outside walls because on my other trips I only explore the inside and never went outside the walls. But this trip gave me the opportunity to explore and see the other great sights that was outside the walls.
I never knew that Nan Madol has a place that is under water and I’m very grateful because this trip gives me the chance to learn all of these things. I can only say that this trip gives me the chance to discover the old legends of Nan Madol and it is very exciting. This place is the most wonderful, astonishing and amazing sightseeing of all places that I’ve been to and it is one enjoyable adventure to me.
How important Nan Madol is to us.
Nan Madol is a very important place because of its sacred sights and it is said that when people try to disrespect this place, they can get sick or die. So it is important that people should always respect this place at all times. It might sound scary but it is not, people should always show respect because it shows that we respect the place that is important to us Pohnpeians. Nan Madol is considered a place where our own ancestors build, not using other kinds of equipment — just their own magic. So for us Pohnpeians, it an important place, because it was built by the creation of two skillful brothers. As a Pohnpeian, I consider Nan Madol to be the most important place for its own legend or sacred stories and this place is the first place that was built out by our great ancestors. Lots of magical creations occurred in this place and it is important for the people to learn more about the creation of this wonderful place.
Nan Madol shows how skillful us Pohnpeians are and about our old cultures.
