Kosrae Attractions |
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KOSRAE ATTRACTIONS Lush Jungle The island of Kosrae offers some of the lushest jungles in all of Micronesia. Overgrown trails can be negotiated to get to remote mountain waterfalls and scenic spots. A hike up to Kosrae's famous Mount Finkol will take the explorer through the lush Kosrae jungle. Let Kosraen guides show you the plants used traditionally for healing wounds and treating other ailments. The jungles also hold former World War II houldouts including Japanese bunkers and artifacts. Simple day trips, short hikes and long overnight campouts high in the ountain rainforest can all be arranged for the hardy visitor. With its prisine and undeveloped interior, biologists and bird watchers will love this untouched environment. There are endemic trees here and Kosrae is one of the least traversed islands in Micronesia. Rich Coral Kingdom Kosrae beckons the underwater adventurer. More than 50 dive sites have been identified by local diving pioneers. Each has been marked with a buoy to prevent improper anchoring, leaving Kosrae's reefs pristine and ripe for exploration. Beautiful hard coral gardens punctuate the eastern side of the island. On the west, the gardens give way to plunging walls. Sharks, dogtooth tuna, barracuda schools and other exciting ocean citizens can all be encountered along the reef's edge. And a rainbow of colors can be found in the forests of tiny Christmas tree invertebrates that populate the large corals. Schools of eagle rays are commonly found at many of the sites. Kosrae is also known for its extremely clear, warm water that allows visibility of 100 feet or more to be the norm for the scuba buff. Historical Treasures Steeped in the history of many decades, the island invites exploration. There are the mysterious ancient ruins of the forefathers of the Kosraen people. The Ruins of the Ancient Feudal capitol on Lelu Island are among the most significant archaeological sites in the Pacific. This ancient city still has broad stone paths and basalt buildings. These are the results of an amazing construction effort by the ancient people. Other sites sit overgrown in jungle in the island's interior, concealing the past for now, but slowly being uncovered and waiting to be explored. World war artifacts, tanks, plane and sunken shipwrecks, cave systems and remnants abound. There's even a pirate ship sunk beneath the waves that carries with it stories of lost treasure. Kosrae State has set aside funds for series of projects which will lead to the continued protection of these major historical and cultural sites, making them available to educate the local community and visitors. Amazing Mangrove Forest The famous mangroves of the island present a world of opportunities to see nature in all of its peace and solitude. Paddle a sea kayak or a native outrigger canoe through the vast channels of Kosrae for a truly exhilarating trip into the womb of the marine world. The mangroves of Kosrae are some of the most amazing to be found anywhere in the world. In some places they form a high jungle canopy where rivers flow below and channels rise and fall with the tides. Immense root systems and myriads of animal and plant life flourish in these complex ecosystem. There is also the Utwa-Walung Marine Park, a marine preserve where all kinds of aquatic life are allowed to grow and flourish unmolested by man. This conservation area is recognized by the State of Kosrae and the people of the island for its outstanding biodiversity. Environmental education is promoted here in Kosrae. Lelu Ruins Site One The first compound is called Kinyeir Fulat. It has some of the highest walls in the ruins, up to 20 feet. Kinyeir Fulat was a dwelling compound at European contact, and archaeological findings suggest it has long been one. The feast house would have been at the west end, where numerous pounding stones for food and seka preparation are located. Private houses would have been to the east. However, several unusual features (the raised entrances and a low terrace) suggest that Kinyeir Fulat may have had other uses too. Traditions suggest a meeting place and a place of fortification during the war. Traditions indicate Kinyeir Fulat was once the west end of the island, the last compound extending out from the shore. As you go out, on the other side of the walls, you will notice two tiers of huge basalt boulders at the base of the wall. They may have been part of a sea wall to protect Lelu from storms. Notice also the stacked basalt prisms in the walls. The architectural style is shared with Nan Madol on Pohnpei. Based on archaeological dates, we believe Kinyeir Fulat was built around 1400 AD, when many of the large walls were built. Site Two You are now in one of the few remaining streets of old Lelu. This one was restored in 1983. At one time, nearly all the compounds could be reached by streets, canals or sea piers. A canal landing is present at either end of the street. Note the large basalt boulders at the base of Kinyeir Fulat's wall. The compounds opposite Kinyeir here are called Pensa. Site Three This basalt area is part of the Pensa-1 dwelling compound. The rest of the compound is just behind the low wall. The basalt paving here was once covered. The king and his retainers, friends and visitors gathered during the day. They ate and pounded seka here (in Polynesia and Fiji, it is known as kawa, in Pohnpei, sakau). The seka root was pounded on large flat basalt stones with grooves. Chants and pounding techniques were all part of the ritual. The liquid was mized with water and was drunk in coconut shells. The paving at Pensa-1 is unusual, in that there are the remains of 20 food and seka pounding stones, the most of any compound studied archaeologically. Although at European contact the king compound, Posral, was supposed to have held about the same number of pounding stones within the feaast house. From Pensa-1 you should now sidetrack briefly to Pensa-2, adjacent to Pensa-1 and further out into the canal. Site Four This is what we have labeled Pensa-2. Pensa-3 & 4 are beyond through the entrances. Pensa-2 is one of the few compounds in the ruins where the numerous activity areas can be fairly seen today. In fact, here facing the main canal landing are twin basalt paving with some seka pounding stones. This was the feast house location. The public areas of the compound are paved in flat coral, except an area in the center where numerous fire-burnt rocks are found. These shallow earth ovens, where food was cooked, were surrounded by fired and heated rocks. A small private house enclosure is visible in the back, and we think several other private houses would have been located on the coral paving. Note the architectural style of Pensa's walls are different from Kenyeir Fulat. They are built of small to medium round basalt with some coral. Across the canal is Bat, with one of the highest walls in Lelu. It is now obscured by vegetation growing in the canal. It contains several large dwelling areas. Archaeological work suggests that Pensa and the Bat compounds were built around 1600-1650 AD, after the construction of Kinyeir Fulat and the walls with stacked prismatic basalt. Pensa and Bat were also dwelling compounds of the high chiefs. Please return now the way you came and cross along the field to the end of the canal. Site Five You are about to cross the Finbota compounds. This first one has remains of a feast house. Note the stacked prismatic basalt architecture. It is from the same era as Kinyeir Fulat, 1400 AD. Site Six This is one of the side canals of Lelu. The street behind you leads down and around to the king's compound. Adjacent is a compound which you will enter later. Across the way is Insru, where you will go next. This was one of the sacred places of Lelu, one of the roal mortuary compounds. Again you can see stacked prismatic wall faces. Site Seven This front area contains an immense basalt paving, interpreted as a mortuary feast house. One of Lelu's largest seku pounding stones is located here, just to the left of the path. Site Eight This is a street connecting the areas within Insru. It was reconstructed in 1983. At your right is a twin set of truncated pyramid tombs. Straight ahead is another tomb and beyond to the right is yet another. Archaeological, historical and oral historical research indicate that these tombs were not all used at the same time. The twin tombs seem to have been built first, around 1400AD, before the more distant one. Then, since there was no more space, a dwelling compound off the northwest, named Insrun, was converted into a burial area. The tomb was built there around 1650-1800AD. Later this tomb was abandoned, and part of Insrun's walls were removed to build the large tomb in the wall corner of Inol, the tomb you see before you reach the end of this street. Analysis indicates these tombs were probably used only for the king. Once a tomb was abandoned, it was likely that it was used again. Note that Insru's walls were covered with coral. The walls were once capped uniquely with coral, making Insru look very different from the rest of the high wall compounds. Continue along this street to the tomb, turn right and follow the path into the compound with twin tombs. Site Nine This is the tombs crypt. Each of Lelu's five royal tombs has such a crypt. The tombs here were not final resting places, they were processing points. When a king died, the body was displayed and anointed for a period of some time during which rituals occurred. Then the body was wrapped in fine mats with ornaments and placed in the crypt. After another length of time during which the body decayed, the bones of the dead king were taken out and transported to a small artificial islet on the reef opposite the causeway (called Yensar). Archaeological work in the tombs has recovered ornaments of former kings, tiny necklace beads and fishhooks worn only as pendants. Small fragments of bone have been found, indicating most bones were indeed removed in the past. The last tomb was excavated by the German Sudsee Expedition in 1910, it was found to contain an adult male skeleton and a dog skeleton. These remains appear to have been those of the last king buried in Lelu according to Kosrae's old religion. With rapid conversion to Christianity, the old ceremonies stopped and it appears his bones never were buried off Yensar. Again, remember Insru was an area of Lelu where few of the old residents came. It was an extremely sacred area. The king was the feudal ruler, held above all others by land rights and his role in religious activities. Indeed, the king as the oldest of his family line had ties with his ancestors, who were the most powerful ancestral spirits of the island. Like elsewhere in the world, the king was a sacred figure as well as a man, Insru held the ties to past kings. Before leaving, note the high walled compound to the east across the canal with the large Banyan tree growing on its corner. This is Lurun. It is equal in height to Kinyeir Fulat and is also one of the best examples of stacked prismatic architecture in Lelu. Lurun was a dwelling compound. At this point, proceed on between the twin tombs back the way you came, across the canal. Turn left into Foton. Site Ten You are now in Foton, a dwelling compound, which like Pensa-2 has numerous well preserved pavings. Foton has one of the best examples of stacked prismatic basalt walls constructed in Lelu, extending back to 1400AD. From here you may return the way you came back to the main entrance. Please feel free to stop by the museum in Tofol, which is run by the Historic Preservation Office. Hours are Monday thru Friday 8:30am-2:00pm. The museum displays a bit of background on the archaeology of Lelu and other interesting facts about Kosrae. The ruins are located on Lelu Island, a US$3 fee may apply. |
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