During German colonial rule one of the chiefdoms on Pohnpei violently opposed the new colonial government. The violence began in retaliation for injuries inflicted on a Pohnpeian who was beaten by authorities. Soon the German governor and several others were killed by Sokehs people. At the arrival of German warships, the Sokehs people fled to …
Post Type Archives: Video Listings
At Home While Away
This one-hour video is a presentation of the stories of eight Micronesians who have left the islands to take up life in the US. Five of them are men, three are women. Many live in the Hawaii, but others live in mainland US. A few have spent long years in the US military. Some have …
Before We Began Counting Years
Thousands of years before latte stones and hollowed lusong rocks began appearing, a group of seafarers first settled in the Marianas. Others soon followed. We see the traces of these first settlers in a few coastal villages–places like Achugao on Saipan, Unai Chulu on Tinian, and Ritidian on Guam. These early settlers arrived more than …
Heart But No Home
We see the homeless all around–those people living in the streets, roaming in the paseo and the parks, sleeping under bridges and in garages. They wander around carrying their belongings in a bag. Sometimes in small groups… even families with kids. They number close to a thousand on Guam. Who are these people? How did …
When Spirits Roamed
Spirits came in many different types in the old island religions. Besides the remote sky gods, there were nature spirits associated with select spots, deities who were patrons of certain clans, and the spirits of the dead. The spirits of dead ancestors were called upon to possess one of their descendants to aid their family. …
First Class: Excellence in Public Schools
A good education is as important today as ever before. Even so, some of our public elementary schools seem to be losing ground in the race to provide a suitable education for young Micronesians. In the struggle for sound schooling, we may be able to learn something from the past. In this video people single …
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A Walk Through the Past: Part 2
This disc continues the historical video segments beginning with World War II. The first three describe the major campaigns fought in Micronesia: the US invasion of the Marshall Islands, the assault on the Marianas, and the attack on Angaur and Peleliu in Palau. The end of the war brought transitions for everyone-the reconstruction work needed …
A Walk Through The past: Part I
The first three of these ten-minute video segments depict what Europeans thought they saw when they began regular visits to the islands in the early 1800s, what life was like in the islands a century later (about 1900), and the different forms of religious expression that people employed. The next cluster of video segments offers …
Junk Food! Danger!
School kids these days flash their red fingers- a sure sign they've been eating ramen and Kool Aid straight. Donuts and chips, soda and snacks- all of it is tasty, but unsatisfying and harmful to the health over the long run. When the stomach aches start in this video, the junk food starts to lose …
History I: Early Encounters
The "People of the Sea", as they are still called, were the first to find the islands, arriving after long ocean voyages from the west and the south on their marvelous 'flying proas.' Centuries later, waves of other seafarers came to these islands, most to stop over for a short while, but a few to …
History II: Planting The Foreign Flag
This video, the second in a five-part series on the history of Micronesia, explores the beginning of colonial rule in the islands. It opens in 1885, a time when the Pacific was being partitioned among colonial powers, with the contest between Spain and Germany for possession of the islands. After a brief look at Spanish …
After the Compact, What Then?
Roundtable discussion garnished with interviews on what will happen to Micronesia at the end of the 15 year Compact of Free Association in the year 2001. Features Resio Moses, William Iriarte and Alex Panuelo.
Women’s Changing Role in Micronesia
A look at how the traditional roles of women, once very important, have changed. Special emphasis on Chuuk and Yap outer islands, but with application across Micronesia.
Voices of Pohnpei (Part I)
A history of Pohnpei, but from the inside. Uses legends and archeology to delineate the high points in Pohnpei's past, ending where history usually begins – with the arrival of the Europeans.
Voices of Pohnpei (Part 2)
A history of Pohnpei, but from the inside. Uses legends and archeology to delineate the high points in Pohnpei's past, ending where history usually begins – with the arrival of the Europeans.
Beneath Paradise (Domestic Violence)
Roundtable discussion on child abuse and spouse abuse in Micronesia examining the social changes that may be increasing the problem. Features William Eperiam, Joshua Phillip, and Tina Takeshy.
More Than Just Doctors
A look at the quality of health care in Micronesia. Shows some of the problems that must be faced, more than graduating young Micronesian doctors
Owning Our Own Health
Documentary on what Micronesia can do to improve the quality of health services and to take full ownership of its own health system.
Too High
Lyrical documentary on alcohol abuse in the islands, with the title taken from a Daniel Rae Costello song.
Reflections on Anger
A look at how Micronesians handle anger and how it sometimes controls them. Reflection on how negative emotions could be dealt with more productively.
A Matter of Peace, a Question of Justice
Roundtable on how conflict resolution is handled in the courts and how it was done traditionally. Features John Mangefel, Nickontro Johnny, and Emilio Musrasrik.
The Upside Down Economy
A Micronesian leader once compared the FSM economy to a turtle on its back, its feet kicking in the air, but going nowhere. For years the economy in the islands has been upside down. The foreign subsidies that supported an expensive government structure has, in turn, created a small private sector consisting of service industries. This video explores …
Breaking the Ice
Over the past decade, the people in the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas have been silent witnesses to a raging storm. This storm, which has swept over other parts of the Pacific, is a killer, claiming lives and destroying communities. It is man-made and known by many names: shabu, glass, or ice; crystal methamphetamine. This video documents the …
Take Me to Your Island
An hour-long look at the foreigners who have come to Pohnpei, with their quirks and high hopes.
The Strangers Among Us (Parts I)
Migrant labor wears many faces. In Saipan, there are Filipina entertainers and hostesses, Bangladeshi security guards, Sri Lankan janitors, and Chinese garment workers. Palau, in recent years, has brought in thousands of Asian laborers, including Filipino construction workers who are interviewed in this video. Micronesians, too, have left home in search of opportunities abroad. This video presents, …
The Strangers Among Us (Parts 2)
Migrant labor wears many faces. In Saipan, there are Filipina entertainers and hostesses, Bangladeshi security guards, Sri Lankan janitors, and Chinese garment workers. Palau, in recent years, has brought in thousands of Asian laborers, including Filipino construction workers who are interviewed in this video. Micronesians, too, have left home in search of opportunities abroad. This video presents, …
Living the Sweet Life: Diabetes in Micronesia
Two middle aged men, good friends, learn that they both have diabetes. One postpones indefinitely the diet and exercise that his doctor advises for him, while the other resolves to do something about the disease. This video presents a humorous look at the contrasting responses of the two men. One begins eating local food and jogging. His …
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Mind Your Own Business
When a man comes home and tells his wife that he has been fired, they decide to start a private business with a bank loan. The husband, a bumbling individual, obtains his loan but encounters a series of misfortunes as he tries to set up his business. This drama presents, in vivid dramatic form, the value …
The Colony
This video is a brief tour of what was once the administrative center of Pohnpei. Javier Galvan, a Spanish architect and historian, leads us through the Spanish Wall, erected at the beginning of Spanish rule in 1887. Within the colony enclosed by the Wall were troops barracks, a governor's palace, an infirmary, and other public buildings. Senor …
It Could Be You!
The four mini-dramas presented in this video address sensitive issues of sexuality in Micronesia, often too rarely discussed. Featuring over seventy-five children and adults from throughout the islands, each drama is followed by a recitation of factual information. Covering topics that range from STD's and teenage pregnancy to AIDS and marital infidelity, the video presents a appropriate …
Youth Today: How Can We Help?
What can we do about youth today? This video shows a spectrum of youth groups around Micronesia, church-run and civic, and presents a description of some of their programs. The Bugwol Youth Club in Yap plays a big role in keeping their municipality clean. In Kosrae, the Citrus Training Program tries to provide out-of-school-youth with activities that …
FSM: The US Pacific Outpost
A brief overview of US relations with Micronesia over the years. Focused on the FSM, this documentary surveys problems of development in the islands.
Land: Investing in Our Future
Land has always had a mystical meaning for Micronesians. In the past it was more a link with one's roots and a source of identity than it was a commodity. It is only during recent years that land has come to be regarded as a possession. As the small island nations in the Pacific strive for economic …
It’s My Own Land, Isn’t It?
In the minds of most Micronesians, land is a family possession. The government may make its laws, regulate traffic, impose taxes, but it has no right to dictate how individuals or families should use their land. At least that's the feeling among most Micronesians today. This video holds this belief up to the light. In the first of …
The Way We Were
Two children visit their favorite storyteller, Lima, who tells the children the story of Uab and how the islands of Palau were formed. Through the telling of this story the children become aware of the connections between Uab and their friend Lima. Both are "giants" because of eating too much. The children realize that many Micronesians are …
Just Blowin’ Smoke
Who do people start using tobacco? Whether through smoking cigarettes or chewing tobacco with Betel nut, people who use tobacco have some reason (excuse) for starting. Through a series of vignettes, “Just Blowin Smoke” takes a look at some of these reasons and concludes that there is no good reasons for using tobacco. Although humor is used to …
The Goals of Ed U. Cation
When a disgruntled PTA meets to decide what to do with their school, they are presented three options by a charlatan magician named Ed U. Cation. The community must decide what the goals of education really are, and what is best for their children. Peering into his crystal ball, the magician offers three options: cultural, …
Islands of Excellence
If education in Micronesia is sometimes presented as a "sea of mediocrity", then the schools highlighted in this documentary stand as islands of excellence in that sea. Join us as we take a tour through every part of Micronesia and visit some of the best public elementary schools to uncover their success stories. The trail …
The Job Hunt: Mission Impossible?
For some Micronesians leaving their island in search of a new life and job is a scary, almost impossible mission. What kind of skills does a young Micronesian need to succeed on and off of his island? In this drama, Stan, a young college dropout, is in search of work. He journeys to Guam, hoping to find …
Off The Beaten Path
When you were a child, what did you dream about growing up to be? This video takes a look at some of the different types of jobs that people have in the FSM. In a time when so many people are working for the government, "Off The Beaten Path" highlights a variety of private sector industries. From making …
The Legend of Bill: From Birth to Law
In the FSM, how are Congressional Bills developed? How does a bill become a law? What happens to laws once they are made? This video illustrates this process by following "Bill" through his lifetime. Journey with Bill back in time to learn about the history of the FSM legal system and then walk with Bill through the process of …
I’ll See You in Court
The show begins: "The citizens of this new nation abide by a modern democratic legal system which was set up when independence was proclaimed in 1979; a system which very closely mirrors the American legal system.It is no surprise that this newer system is, for many Micronesians, mysterious and confusing. Today we will take a …
Our Islands, Our Selves
Like a selfless mother nurturing her offspring, the Pacific islands have always provided for their people. As the children mature, it is they who must provide care for their aging and often ailing mother. The video goes on to show the ways in which our care for the islands can be translated into environmental conservation …
Food Fight: Good vs. Rotten
Who will protect our children from diseases caused by poor nutrition? Today, when junk food and sweets are so readily available and so attractive to children, traditional foods and a balanced diet seem dull and unappealing. In this video, one young boy sees the need to help others learn that good nutrition and exercise are important …
Can We Talk, Mom?
Modern families in town can be very busy, with the parents rushing home from work and out again to attend community meetings or social events. Meanwhile, the teenage kids have lives of their own, sometimes living far from the scrutiny of their parents. The modern home can be a lot like a bus station or …
Our Distant Relatives
This short documentary about the US-related islands of the Pacific discusses health conditions and social setting in American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. While the developed world urges prevention as the new battle line in the campaign against illness, many …
Hitting Hard: Family Violence
When family arguments come to blows, where can women run for protection? Parents and relatives can't help when they live so far apart, and legislation and police fail time and time again to stop the beatings. This video explores the differences between protections from violence in the past and present through the stories of two families, …
The U.S. and the Marshalls: The Next 20 Years
Over the past 15 years, the Compact of Free Association has provided financial support and U.S. Federal Programs to the Marshall Islands. In exchange, the Marshalls has granted defense rights and "strategic denial" to the United States. The financial provisions of the Compact are set to expire in September, and with them the support that …
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Pushing Out To Sea: Creating a New FSM Economy
The canoe of the FSM economy has for many years floated on the tide of government salaries and external assistance. This has led to a consumption-based economy with little means for self-support. After the FSM gained independence in 1986, one of the major goals of the new government was to create a self-sustaining economy. This …
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Smokey Joe: You Smoke, I Choke.
When a person lights a cigarette, most of the smoke stays in the air near the smoker. Anyone around the smoker must breathe this smoke, and in doing so, increase their chances of heart disease, lung cancer and other serious health problems. This is the story of Smokey Joe, a good guy with a bad …
Suicide in Micronesia: Finding a Better Way Out
Suicide in Micronesia today has become a deadly epidemic, with one death leading to another. These days, nearly every Micronesian family has been touched by this problem. Just 40 years ago, however, this was not the case. The Micronesian suicide rate is now one of the highest in the world. Why are so many young …
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For the Love of Chuuk: Working Towards the Common Good
Chuuk, with half of the FSM population, a thriving business sector, and a strong church community, has much to celebrate. On the other hand, the state has also faced two financial crises in the past ten years. Electricity is off-and-on and government services such as health and education are mediocre at best. Chuuk, an island …
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Beyond the Spoken Word: Insuring the Legacy of Our Land
Land has long meant security, identity and status for the people of the Marshall Islands. Before these islands knew Western civilization, land was handed down orally, through stories, songs and legends. In every village people knew the owners of the lands and the boundaries that divided them, and this knowledge was stored safely in their …
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Pohnpei: Preserving Our Natural Heritage
Pohnpei is a stunning Pacific island with lush tropical forst and pristine coral reef. It is home to a variety of exotic species, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. Pohnpei, as a capital and industrial center of FSM, is facing steady economic growth and modernization. As a result, its ecosystems are …
A Woman’s Work Never Ends
In Micronesia, a woman's day-to-day life has always been busy. With social responsibilities and a family to take care of, how could it not be? But until recent times, a woman has always had plenty of others around to help share the load. Men did much of the food-collection and heavy labor while sisters, cousins …
Island Government: Making it Work
What does good government mean for island nations in the Pacific? This video is an extended conversation on that very question punctuated by mini-dramas that underline some of the tensions between government and culture. The march to self-government was a long and arduous process lasting for a decade and a half and resulting in the …
Going Yellow
Local foods are just for old people, right? Who wants to eat taro and breadfruit when there's rice and corn beef available? This video makes the argument that there is more to local foods than meets the eye. Local foods like breadfruit, bananas, taro, and pandanus are very high in vitamins and nutrients and very …
Before It’s Too Late
Not long ago, the biggest threat to a Micronesian's life was infectious disease. Pneumonia, smallpox, typhoid, TB, influenza – these were responsible for the majority of deaths in Micronesia. But times are changing. These days, most illness is preventable. With regular visits to the doctor, most life-threatening sickness can be stopped in its very early …
Staying Connected
The information highway is changing at a dazzling speed. Cell phones are commonplace today-far more so than the old CB radios were twenty years ago, or ham radios were twenty years before that. Today we routinely make long distance calls to relatives living abroad. Photos and music are transmitted instantly to anyone anywhere. Local island …
Micronesians Abroad
Since the 1990s Micronesians have been leaving in unprecedented numbers to make their home in the US. Today, 30,000 people from FSM, or one out of every four citizens, is living abroad. Islanders from the Marshall Islands and Palau are also leaving in great numbers. Micronesians Abroad offers a look at islanders in their new …
Chasing the Dream
Competitive athletics, even in a small nation like FSM, can be a pathway to the World Olympics. Chasing Dreams traces sports in the life of island people–from the pickup village volleyball game to the all-island league to the regional finals. Sports are more than just fun; they build bodies and character, while teaching discipline and …
To Chew or Not to Chew
Our hero’s college assignment is to do a report on an aspect of island life. He chooses betelnut and decides to investigate why so many people chew. Dodging streams of spit and puddles of slime, he interviews chewers to find out more about the habit. Along the way, he makes some first-hand observations about dental …
Outcasts No Longer
Like lepers in the past, HIV victims in our day have been shunned as incurables, even though recent medical advances have made it possible to treat the disease effectively. It's high time to change our thinking about HIV/AIDS and our strategies for dealing with it.
Don’t Smoke That Cigarette
Why do people smoke? There are all sorts of answers that can be given, but the result is always a strong addiction to the weed. The singing groups in this MTV take us through the reasons for smoking, the social pressure that makes it so hard to resist, and the cost, in terms of money …
10,000 Steps
Diabetes, like heart disease, has become a serious health problem in our day, a doctor explains to his audience in the opening of this video. The consequences of this can include amputation, loss of sight and a host of other problems. To control the disease people need to watch their diet and get exercise each …
Stop TB
TB rates might be dropping in many parts of the world, but the disease is still a serious problem in the Pacific. Rates throughout Micronesia are many times higher than in the US. This video documentary explains what causes the disease and how it can easily spread from one person to another. Anyone who may …
History III: Sunburst in the South Sea
Beginning with the establishment of the Japanese civil administration in the new mandate, this segment of the history series offers a look at the “golden years” under Japanese rule. Using live footage seldom before seen, the video portrays the impact of the first public education system on the islands as older Micronesians remember it. The …
History IV: Ruin & Reconstruction
The first part of this video documents the preparations for war in Japanese-governed Micronesia and the assault by the Allies on the islands–from the Marshalls, past Kosrae, Pohnpei and Chuuk, to Palau and the Marianas. This segment shows the battles for the islands not just as they affected the outcome of the war but as …
Ashes To Ashes
“Ashes to Ashes” describes much more than what remains of a smoked cigarette. It offers testimonies by three young Micronesians to the damage that tobacco has done to a loved one in their family. Their interlocked stories tell of key figures in their lives who died early because of their smoking habit. But if there …
You Are Not Alone
Any number of people will tell you that rape and sexual violence are not problems in the islands. Why resort to force, they argue, when opportunities for sexual satisfaction are to be found everywhere one looks. In this video a dozen people of various backgrounds share theirs stories on sexual violence. Although told in such …
The Missing Micronesians
Tens of thousands of Micronesians now live in the US, where they have migrated to find jobs, education and health care. This one-hour documentary, a sequel to “Micronesians Abroad,” tracks down some of these islanders in a handful of small towns in the Midwest. Islanders may have once been concentrated in a few key destinations, …
Feet First
As people age, their medical thoughts often turn to their heart or lungs or liver. Yet, the many who suffer from diabetes should also be thinking of their feet. After all, it is injuries to the feet that can be serious threats to our health, since blood circulation to the feet becomes poor and the …
Power Comes in Many Forms
Sources for renewable energy are abundant in Micronesia—literally right in your backyard. This video will show you how to take advantage of the sun, the wind, the water, and the coconut to make light, heat and electricity. It includes six pollution-free ideas that will help lower your cash power bills without raising the sea level. …
More? Or Less? Quantity Counts
When the family is hungry, they have to be fed. But a ready-to-please mom finds out that there is apparently no limit to the appetite of her husband and children. The more she cooks, the more they eat. Even the announcement of a class reunion, at which mom and dad would like to appear in …
History V: March Toward Self-Government
This final segment in the History of Micronesia video series presents the final two decades of US administration, when change was the order of the day. The election of President Kennedy in 1960 signaled a profound change in US policy in its Trust Territory, beginning with a focus on education and health services. As the …
Ready for What?
Island people are famous for taking things as they come rather than fretting about the future. But recent disasters have taught us all that there is something to be gained by being prepared to cope. Typhoon Sudal caught Yap unawares a few years ago, and the problems were compounded when many people found themselves without …
The Dreadful Flu
Dark days have come over an island. The population suffers from a plague that brings just about everything to a standstill. Government offices and schools are shut down, and even stores are forced to cut back as their employees and customers fall ill. The sneezing and coughing, the chills at night, the listlessness are all …