The Book of Luelen

Luelen Bernart, who died about the end of World War II, was a member of a prominent Ponapean family in the southeastern part of the island As a youth, he attended the Protestant mission school at Ohwa (oa) and the style of the Bible permeates his own writing. Locally he was renowned for the wealth of his traditional knowledge, which he recorded, apparently for his family, including some of his grandchildren and perhaps some collateral relatives; "The Book of Luelen" appears to have been by far the fullest such manuscript completed by any Ponapean up to the time of Luelen's the author himself seems to have seen it as a comprehensive account of Ponape from its creation to the time of first European contact. Myths and legends side by side with history and botanical lore thus create a rich source of information on Ponape and how it was seen by Ponapeans. This book is one of the very rare instances of a Pacific Islander recording his own version of this island's history. It offers a unique inside view of Ponapean history that will intrigue all those interested in the Pacific and its people.