Hello there Leeling. Hope you'll enjoy this one. Since I like to hear about jokes and funny stories, that is what I will be talking about on my web page. It all happened during the Spanish Administration and the American Administration here in Micronesia. All of the events happened here on the Island of Pohnpei. There were two funny stories and both of them are still can be heard in the present days. One of the story happened in my village, in Awak U. And the other occured way back in Madolonihmw, in Pohn Langas.
The first story, which took place in my homevillage, occured during the Spanish Era in the 1800's . And it goes like this: The people of Awak back then just got rid of their own cultural religion and adapted the missionaries religion, Christianity. Now that they have a new religion, they are very dedicated and faithful. Whenever one commits a sin, they went to the priest and asks for forgiveness, then takes a communion. During that time, the most common sin is adultery. And when they went to the priest for forgiveness, they never say, "I committed adultery", or "I had sex with another woman father, please for my sins". They say that they, "fell off the bridge", which means adultery. That's what they always say to the priest whenever they committed adultery. Men, women, young boys, and even young girls. And the priest kinda get the hang of it. He understood them, what they meant when they say that they "fell off the bridge". And so the American Administration of the Micronesian Islands came after the second world war and the Spanish have had already moved out. Along came an American priest. And the people of Awak thought that the American priest would understood them just like the Spanish priest. And so, the sinful people of Awak; continues committing adultery went to the American priest and asks for forgiveness saying the same words they said to the Spanish priest, "I fell off the bridge". And the American priest told them, "watch your path and walk carefully". For many times, people kept on saying the same confession to him, the priest was now very confused. So oneday, he decided to take a walk on the bridge of Awak. He went there and examined the bridge and shaked it and even run and jumped on it, but the bridge was in good condition. Then a man walked passed by, and told the priest what he was doing? The priest responded, "Everyday, people always came to and confessed that they fell off this bridge. And so I decided to take a look at it, but it was in good condition. That's very strange!?" The laughed at him and told the priest that he was acting foolish. The priest told him not to laugh and tease him. The priest said, "Come and help me take a look a this bridge because your wife confessed to me that she too, fell off this bridge". At that moment, the teasing man turns red-hot and went to his wife and beat her up. Funny ain't it! I laughed and tears came out of my eyes when I first heard this story.
| Mon., Wed., Fri., | Tue., Thur., | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00-10:00, & 1:00-4:00 | 8:00-9:30, & 11:00-4:30 | COM-FSM: Cultural Huts |
The second story took place in Madolonihmw, Pohn Langas. During the American Era, the Americans set one of their military base there. And they put up their caution signs around thier base. One of the signs reads, "Keep Out". Which means no unauthorized person to be entered. And pohnpeians during that time are stupid. They don't understand english very well. Oneday, starvation struck the community as a result from battles of the second world war. The crisis is called in Pohnpeian, "Nan mweihn Daidohwa". So the people of Pohn Langas went to the Americans for aid. As they approach their gate, they saw the sign: Keep Out! And the people said to amongst themselves, "These people sells yams and banana". "Kehp oh uht", that's how they interpret the sign. They entered the American base and saw nothing. Only tents, guns, and vehicles. They said to the Americans, "where are the yams and bananas. Your signs says that you sell yams and bananas". They insulted the Americans saying that they don't know how to do business. The Americans expained to them what the sign really means. And so the people shamefully left the base with nothing, only crying stomachs. Nowadays, Pohnpeians cannot make that kind of mistake. People understand english better. But there still some that don't understand english, in current days. And they look stupid whenever they approach foreigners.