Monday, January 12, 2015

CHAMORROS ON PAKIN ATOLL


Pakin Atoll, Pohnpei


Pakin Atoll lies northwest of Pohnpei.

During the Japanese administration of Micronesia, government policy was to isolate islanders suffering from Hansen's Disease (leprosy) on remote atolls. Pakin was one of them.

At least three Chamorros were sent by the Japanese to Pakin before World War II.

One was from Luta (Rota), named Jesus. His last name was not recorded.

The two others were from Saipan. Jose de los Santos and Maria de los Santos. Their relationship is not documented. They could be spouses, siblings, cousins or have no close relationship at all.

After the war, Pakin was no longer used for this purpose. The final outcome of these three Chamorros on Pakin is something I have yet to discover. After World War II, Tinian was used as the site of a facility for patients of Hansen's Disease from all over Micronesia, including Chamorros. It's possible these three were sent there.


No comments:

Post a Comment