Pacific royalty, past and present: German interactions with pre-existing elites on Pohnpei

Abstract

The island of Pohnpei houses the ruins of Nan Madol, currently Micronesia’s only World Heritage site. It is now believed to represent the ceremonial centre of the Saudeleur dynasty, a vibrant period in Pacific Island culture. Western visitors to Pohnpei in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were fascinated by these ruins, often interpreting them as the dwelling place of kings long past. At the same time, they sought to comprehend the complex socio-political hierarchies of existing Pohnpeian society through the lens of monarchy, identifying multiple ‘kings’ among the island’s elites. This article examines German-speakers’ perceptions of, and interactions with, pre-existing elites on Pohnpei over the years 1870–1914. These dates correspond to a period of significant political change on Pohnpei, from nominal Spanish control to the establishment of an outpost of German imperialism.