Lekinioch

Charted as Lukunor, is in the Mortlock Group of islands of Chuuk State. This is its wide pass.

Simon Bualuay

Greets yachts and makes you welcome. Here he holds a tektek (adze) hand made from truck springs and so sharp you could shave with it.

Lekinioch Was a Possession

of the Japanese at the time this building was built in 1934. It was built by a Spaniard but has Japanese symbols on an inlaid stone. A Japanese visitor said these symbols spelled the name of the emperor at the time.

Traditional Homes

are still in use in Lekinioch. Here a family has a two huts, a sleeping hut and a cooking hut.

DVDs?

Yes, DVDs are rented from this family compound, which also houses a small store.

Sleeping Huts

are cozy and dry. The pandanus of the roofs is called fach. Mats line the ground to create beds.

Men's Meeting House

of custom design. It is called a foeng in the local language.This may be the last one of traditional construction and it is an impressive structure. Town meetings are also held here and women are allowed/invited inside.

Dugout Canoes

are still in use in the lagoon and the islanders are trying to preserve this highly practical mode of transportation and fishing platform.

Beauties

The children of Lekinioch are playful and amazingly beautiful.

Wafatel Under Construction

There is a program in Lekinioch that brings young men together with elder masters - in this case Otto - to teach the construction of dugout canoes; wafatel in the local language.

Resin...

of styrofoam dissolved in gasoline, seemed like an odd thing to use but it works and is of course readily available.

Magnificent Tools

are hand made from truck springs and are DANGEROUSLY sharp.

After Church

the children posed for us in their finest clothes

Nail Polish

was a popular gift that all the children shared - even with Leslie.

Even the Littlest Boys

were friendly to us

The Girls of Lekinioch

took our hearts

To the Statue

we go, with about 15 munchkins in tow. After church we planned a hike to the end of the motu where a statue of Jesus Christ sits on a pedestal. Even "monkey", a tiny tot, joined in.

Resting and Snacking

the older kids started goofing for our cameras.

A Group Photo

invoked even more giggles and antics.

With Gasoline

at $8.50 per gallon, the dugout canoe was still the vehicle of choice for moving about the atoll and for fishing.

Lekinioch's History

is evident in many of its buildings

Economical and Breezy

the sleeping huts of these out islanders were also attractive with their curved ends.

A Few Families

of relative affluence lived in more modern homes of concrete. This home was embellished with designs that appeared to us almost "Moorish".

Like On Most Atolls

land is scarce and most is utiltized. This "road" leads to the center of the island where taro gardens fill acres of swampy land.