The Art and the People of a Kapingamarangi Village on Pohnpei, FSM. Photo Gallery by John Amato at pbase.com

The Art and the People of a Kapingamarangi Village on Pohnpei, FSM.

There are many artisans in the Kapinga village. Carving and use of plant materials is something that represents their culture. A file, ground down to make a carving implement is one of the most popular material for this purpose. A couple of the carvers I spoke with had tried professional carving blades but they do not hold a good edge. A good file, carefully ground so that the temper is not lost, seems to work best for many carvers.

The atoll of Kapingamarangi lies to the southwest of of Pohnpei at a distance of approximately 500 miles distance. A number of Kapinga inhabitants first came to Pohnpei in the mid 1800's. Currently the population on Kapingamarangi is around 300 and on Pohnpei there is a population of 500 and about 300 Kapinga people live in the US.

An adz is also often used to do the rough shaping of what ever is being carved.

For materials that many of the women use in their work, different palm types have specific uses and pandanus tree leaves are used.

Many of the carving of the Kapinga community are museum quality.

Porakiet (Kapinga name for their community).

This gallery is being updated

It can take hours to sharpen a knife used for carving. L1021083.jpg	L1021025.jpg	An excellent Kapinga carver. L1021018.jpg	L1021006.jpg	L1021001.jpg
A card game on a Sunday afternoon in the men's carving house. L1020931.jpg	Some of the great carvers in the Kapinga community. L1021108sm.jpg	Preparing a new roof of local materials. IMG_9111.jpg	A Hammerhead shark and Great White. L1020898.jpg	L1020846.jpg
L1020835.jpg	A game of checkers as played on the island. Shells and cigarette butts for markers. L1020821.jpg	IMG_9358.jpg	Shark's tooth carved from ivory nut. IMG_9334.jpg	The careful placement of shark's teeth into a carving. IMG_9327.jpg
A finished turtle carving. IMG_9321.jpg	A Kapinga carver, Edward, describing the shark that bit his left shoulder. L1020859.jpg	Dolphin being carved and ivory nut on right. IMG_9366.jpg	L1020828.jpg	Carving the Federated States of Micronesia seal. IMG_9121.jpg
L1017423.jpg	Large carving are often cut in half and hollowed. L1017063.jpg	Placing shark teeth into a carved shark. L1015522.jpg	Finishing a artful carving of two dolphins. L1015487.jpg	Main carving house. L1015471.jpg
Tool chest. L1015441.jpg	Using a piece from the bill of the marlin to burnish. L1015427.jpg	A highly polished piece of marlin bill to do a final polish before waxing. L1015436.jpg	With reading glasses he can now see the knots in the net he wanted to cut. L1015421.jpg	L1015417.jpg
L1015412.jpg	L1015375.jpg	L1015387.jpg	L1015423.jpg	Resizing a watchband. IMG_7281.jpg
Whale carving approximately 3 feet long. IMG_7261.jpg	Examing a fine ivory nut carving. IMG_6353.jpg	Close examination of the detail of an ivory nut carving. IMG_6356.jpg	Some finished work of the Kapinga carvers. IMG_6359.jpg	A large shark carving with real shark teeth. IMG_6363.jpg
A game similar to checkers. IMG_6521.jpg	Relaxing on a Sunday the one day most people do not work in the village. IMG_6519.jpg	Winning. IMG_6368.jpg	Being swung in hammock. L1012660.jpg	IMG_5194.jpg
They were lacing flowers together. IMG_5177.jpg	Linson Head working on a custom order. L1011372.jpg	Shaping the base of beautiful carving of dolphins. IMG_5466.jpg	Carving models of traditional sailing boats. L1011514.jpg	Whale in the making. L1011504.jpg
Shaping a turtle. IMG_4265.jpg	Carving another turtle in the background. IMG_4312.jpg	IMG_4210.jpg	A stylized Kapinga fish hook of hard wood that grows on the atolls. IMG_4199.jpg	One of a number of shops where carving is done. IMG_4191.jpg
IMG_4163.jpg	IMG_4159.jpg	Edward carving a shark. IMG_4152.jpg	Carving a shark. IMG_4143.jpg	Linson Head working on a shark. IMG_4101.jpg
IMG_4083.jpg	Sanding a carved shark. IMG_4070.jpg	Carving a stylized Kapinga fish hook. IMG_4031.jpg	IMG_3968.jpg	Carving a custom order. L1011372.jpg
IMG_4393.jpg	Few people realize how much work goes into this artwork. IMG_4403.jpg	Over one week of work. IMG_4409.jpg	IMG_4420.jpg	All the materials are from local plants. IMG_4442.jpg
Attempting to retrieve a breadfruit. IMG_4007.jpg	Kapina grave yard. Often a great play area for the kids. L1011512.jpg	Watching from a Kapinga grave yard. TIMG_4002.jpg	Across the street a very adept breadfruit collector. IMG_4217.jpg	Kapinga village. IMG_4283.jpg

comment |

Guest		12-Sep-2018 01:14
Thanks for your good idea for saving our Great ancestor picture...

sanae mataky		27-Aug-2018 03:26
wow I like those picture

Bulabula's Hut		21-Oct-2016 15:36
Wow, I am glad I stumbled on your site. Gotta love these Kapingan islanders for their talents. Some of the world's gifted people. 👊😉

D.E. Pugh		25-Apr-2016 17:45
While living in Guam during the 1970s thru 1990s, a close friend traveled through Micronesia and purchased various woven trays and a carved coconut seat and husker/greater. I wish that I could send you a photo of this interesting carved object. However, I'm wondering whether it was carved by carvers on the atoll of Kapingamaringi, Pohnpei. I would appreciate hearing from you. Sincerely, Don Don

LONELY IN MIAMI FL.		27-Oct-2015 23:12
WHENEVE I MISS HOMETOWN,I VISIT THIS SITE..

Naister Joseph		21-Oct-2015 23:33
dime waa bolo sadau mmadua maadua nadau hagabaubau kabemee gu kilamai dadou danginei emomour mai nia mee anei.

Pete Pelep		27-Aug-2015 06:06
Miss my neighbors

Trousse de toilette		06-Aug-2015 07:17
More beautiful photos like that please:)

Roy Rider		15-Apr-2015 17:05
I was a shop teacher at PICS 1969- 1973, Many fond memories of your people. Maybe I will stop by someday for a tour! Roy Rider

Guest		20-Mar-2015 05:34
Me, my husband and 4 year old daughter arrived in Pohnpei in January of 1995. We lived there for 3 years. My husband worked as an attorney at the only law office on Pohnpei, originally owned by an American ex-pat. We bought many of the Kapinga carvings and mobiles. They are wonderful works of art. I also helped sell some of their carvings in Hawaii for a while. Not sure how far and wide they are known, but the Kapinga art is a treasure. I'm currently working on a memoir about our experience there. Luckily I kept a diary!

Dave Cahn		27-Jan-2015 22:45
I visited the village on Pohnpei many years ago and still have a mobile of 8 different exquisitely carved sea creatures hanging in my home. The skill of the Kapinga is amazing and should be more widely known. Sites like this help. Thank you for bringing back good memories.

Guest		31-Oct-2014 03:02
I am interested in buying some of these awesome crafts on line. Been away from home too long and I would like to display some of these talents in my house and work (University of Hawaii - West Oahu).

chris		19-Sep-2014 15:44
I will be there october 16th with silversea. I can bring christian lituature music and also wire and gemstones for jewlry making free. would you like that let me know chris

Gilala Duniing		09-Apr-2014 09:49
Very nice photography I and joyed to looked at them, Thank you for your shaing your photos the last time I was on Pohnpei was 2008 in may!

McGyver Kaiapas		31-Jan-2014 03:58
humalia goodou, dadaahia di art be e kabe di way of carving

Arnold Arnie Hikarip		18-Nov-2013 18:05
Nice carvings...Humalia godou

Emre Remeta		12-Nov-2013 16:54
I visited the village as a USAF Navigator in 1986. Would love to get a tail for the manta ray in my mobile. Is there anyway to purchase these beautiful wooden objects, without paying to actually go, though I would in a second if I could.

Toa Manu		30-Oct-2013 03:38
Tama Toa mai au Tama Kilinisi, puaaa to you all my Community People, keep we flowing like te VAKA TAVA...

timi paragi		28-Aug-2013 22:26
Aroha atu ki te tagata igoa heger paul,no te kaiga katoa.

charley		17-Aug-2013 07:55
Any way I can purchase some of these fine Crafts online??

Delen Mataky		06-Jun-2013 05:35
It's the art of Kapingamarangi,.

Delen Mataky		06-Jun-2013 05:34
Fantastic and Awesome!! Thanks for the pictures. Great Pictures!

AG		14-Apr-2013 08:40
I wish I could buy more of these wood carvings for my collection -- they are beautiful works of art. Could you please let me know if there is a way to purchase online or order through a local (Pohnpei) shop? My email is cookie1993@live.com Many thanks.

Roger		11-Mar-2013 20:17
Years ago (about 1979) I was fishing for tuna with my father on board the Jeanette C. One of the crew members was named Benny Katz (spelling) from Kapingamarangi. He was a very good fisherman. The boat had the chance of passing by Kipinga. Benny was very talented and I have often wondered what happened to him. If anybody know please let me know.

Guest		10-Mar-2013 03:40
kaselelie maing! edei, bradley john mehn ngatik apw ih kin mihmi Tampa, Fl, U.S.A. i want to ask u if u can help me find some kapinga anticrafts, carving? i like to buy a lot of them. please respond to my email= johnbradley813@ymail.com

Lambert Maruame		29-Jan-2013 16:44
The arts of hardwork in our communnity will pass on to our next generation. It is just the part of our life and will never fade away. Thanks a lot for sharing your pictures

2AMO2		07-Nov-2012 00:43
I am inlove with a beautiful vahine of Kapingamarangi, thank you Lord for bringing her into my life and I thank all of you involved in creating this website full wonderful images for us to admire and someday visit and enjoy. Keep up the good work, ahui hou, malama pono pu, aloooha!

Jake W Manuel		06-Sep-2012 05:27
ohmah tohtok pih pah utan lel! komah utan mai sang onek!Iam a student at COMFSM,kosrae campus studing agriculture and food technology!I like local materials.Kapinga atoll is one of the best island in carving woods and making handicrafts

amunivez		09-May-2012 21:50
Awsome carvings. I am a fisherman and love sharks. I am planning on opening a restaurant near the coast in Florida, USA. Does anyone know how I can buy several of the shark carvings that these artist hand craft. I was stationed in Guam and remember seeing these beatiful pieces of art and would love to display them in my new restaurant. please email me at amunivez@yahoo.com with any information you might have. thank you

Norman Lick		02-Mar-2012 03:27
My People and thanks taking these picture for memories... thanks

Islander691		23-Feb-2012 01:22
Nice pictures, this is where I grew up and now I'm too far from there. I wish the cost of going over there is cheaper than what it is now.

bill friedlander		20-Sep-2011 23:31
Superb gallery! It provides a great feel of the people and their art. V

Henry Taitano		05-Apr-2011 10:40
Fantastic images! V

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