Kosrae  - Culture

Kosrae has been described as an unblemished garden of flowers, palms and citrus trees. And the clear, clean seas around it are home to healthy and diverse coral reefs.

Kosrae offers a restful scenic way of life that few people get to experience firsthand. The mangroves of Kosrae are some of the most amazing to be found anywhere in the world. In some places they form a high jungle canopy where rivers flow below and channels rise and fall with the tides. Immense root systems and a myriad of animal and plant life flourish in these complicated ecosystems.

The King and royal court lived in Lelu, a small island connected to the main island by a hand made causeway. Lelu was primarily man-made and surrounded by high walls built from volcanic basalt. Today the remnants of these walls are one of the archaeological wonders of the Pacific.

The Kosraen people were well known for the quality of the fabric they wove from banana fibre. Today many excellent weavers carry on this tradition, weaving hats, mats, bags, baskets and wall hangings from pandanus, coconut, hibiscus and other fibres.

Today these devout and peaceful people continue their daily lives in much the same manner as their ancestors. Many people continue to prepare food, build houses, farm, fish and carve canoes and other tools as they have for hundreds of years.