Pau- 2009 Pacific Island Heritage Month

28 posts from 9 sites in 30 days totaling an hour of audio.

Below, are the recordings from the different sites in the Pacific Island Network of the National Park Service for Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, May 2009. Heritage month is Pau- it is done, over, and finished. However the life of the land and its many cultures continues to thrive.

The pacific islands natural and cultural heritage is without parallel or analog. It is both incredibly diverse, yet remarkably similar. Some currents that run through all the sites in Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, and Saipan are:

• Dynamic volcanism, the islands are in many different stages of island development from fresh lava oozing into the ocean too old weathered landscapes that survived the ravages of time.
• Unique Biota, the island ecosystems from the multitudes of corals in the ocean, through rainforests, to the tops of 12,000 ft mountains rare and endangered plants and animals thrive.
• Vibrant living cultures came to the islands and were changed by the nature of the land. These peoples are still here and in many cases, they are helping protect the natural environment as a way to ensure their survival as a people.
• WWII, all these islands saw significant historical events and consequences of a world at war. Direct memorials and commemoration on some sites, and the influences of these events etched on the land and its people in others.

The month of May is Pau, but the stories continue. We will continue to offer insights into the natural and cultural legacies of the pacific islands in posts and updates of one or two per week.

In the future we hope to offer connections with the Pacific Island Parks to other National Parks on the mainland- stay tuned. A hui ho-