Boy planting his first yam

The yam is a material symbol of men's diligence. For several months of the year, the bulk of agricultural labor is devoted to cultivation of yams. The yam is referred as selin mwahnakapw (‘young man’s vines’) and menginpehn ohl (‘result of man’s work’), indicating the laborious works required to grow it in order to harvest the best quality, as opposed to menginpehn eni (‘result of spirit’s work’) as referred to breadfruit. Knowledge of yam cultivation is highly regarded in Pohnpei and is surrounded by great secrecy. Men don't reveal the number of yam they plant. In old days, competitive feasts of yams were held between rivaling individuals or communities to contest their resourcefulness. This photo shows Sadokawai Obispo (born in 2008) planting his frist yam.