(Ponape District)
KAPINGAMARANGI
Touhou Island, the seat of native (Polynesian) government of Kaping-
amarangi atoll, was inspected 18 January after arrival from Nukuoro by
LST~611. The ship remained outside the atoll, and the inspection party
arrived at Touhou village in one of the ship's LCVP after a five-mile trip
through Greenwich Passage and the lagoon. The party was landed by out-—
rigger canoes and was greeted by the Chief Magistrate, King David, and some
200 of the people. During the stay, the village of Touhou, the village of
the adjacent island to the north, Werua (Ueru), and the ex-Japanese weather
station on Nunakitsu Island, were inspected, with stops at the governmental
council hall, dispensary, school, and churchese A mid-day repast was given
the party at King David's guest house. On Touhou, all the dwellings, with
few exceptions, are of thatch-roofed, pandanus removable-side construction.
The coral floors are covered with pandanus matting during eating and sleep-
ing periods.
Cooking and dish-washing are done in an adjacent, small
native "cookhouse".
Ae
ae
ero
Administrative programe
(a)
Self-government.
The Chief Magistrate is King David, a tall, large and
venerable Polynesian. The Assistant Chief if Tuiai, his
half-brother, an energetic executivee
gitres
Other governing
officials are inter-related in one of the forty hereditarily
governing familiese
(b)
Health and sanitation.
(1)
REPRODUCED FROM HOLDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
There is no U.S. official in the atoll.
Health services are administered by a native health aide,
who had been trained for five months in the CivAd dispensary
at Ponapee The dispensary is of thatched-roof construction,
adequate in size and neatly kept. The Field Trip staff
medical officer and dental officer had few patients. Medical
records were in good order, and supplies were well-stocked.
Tuberculosis and yaws appeared of low incidence, but this
status awaits further survey by the U.5.eS. HIDBEY. There
is apparently no leprosy present. The general nutrition of
the people is excellent.
During the last calendar quarter of 1948, there were
recorded 2 births, 6 deaths in Kapingamarangi atoll.
This
was the only atoll in the Ponape District where the death rate
exceeded the birth rate. However, the atoll has increased 149
in population since 1910, and there is ample space on other
islands of the atoll for any growth in population (notably on
Hare Island, where the people lived until evicted in 1941 by
the Japanese, who temporarily established a naval seaplane
base there).
(2)
Sanitation is satisfactory.
-~45-
The villages inspected were
ne
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