Sokehs Rebellion Pictures

[marianas_gamer]

A co-worker leant me a 1977 Guam "Islander" newspaper today that had a great article on Pohnpeian uprisings during the Spanish and German administrations.  Included were a number of pictures of the Sokehs Rebellion in 1909-1910 against the Germans that I don't remember having seen before.  Please forgive the quality as they were scanned from yellowing newspaper.
Here is a view of Pohnpeian allies of the Germans manning the walls of Kolonia.

 Note that they are wearing European shirts and hats and grass skirts
Here is a shot of See Battalion and Melanesian troops in peaked cap and shorts.
Here is a shot of Chief Samuel and some of his Melanesian guards. He was executed in 1911.  The chief and other prisoners are wearing the same combination of European and indigenous clothing that are shown in the first scan.
One of the points of the article is that the rebels and Ponpeians in general were very well armed with Remington and Winchester rifles and modern revolvers.  Pohnpei was a wintering port for the American whaling fleet from at least the 1850s and there was clearly a jumping trade in fire arms.  Knowing the whalers mostly for strong drink and companionship.  If anyone is particularly interested I have a pdf of the article that I can email.  Much of the information appears to be from Georg Fritz a former Governor of Pohnpei and the Northern Marianas.
LB

[juergen c. olk]

Great pictures,something to do conversions with. I am currently painting 1864 Danes I have been putting off for 10 years,but my Pulp melanesians will be next to go with my Tiger native poizei truppen and my Askari sailors in pith helmets. So many periods so little time. I actually have a embroidery of the the s.m.s. jaguar that was on station .I have the terrain now to finish ,thanx for the inspiration.

[traveller]

Many thanks for posting these unique photos!

Inspiring stuff 

[marianas_gamer]

Juergen,
I thought of you immediately  when I saw these pics.  There is also a nice photo of a captured earthworks position with German troops.
LB

[chicklewis]

WOW, these photos are REALLY interesting, Marianasgamer !!

Thanks for posting them.

I finally found the well-hidden, horribly-maintained Sokehs memorial on the outskirts of Kolonia when we visited in 2012.  White ants were busily eating all of the paper-behind-filthy-plexi memorial signs. 

[juergen c. olk]

Do you have any pictures of the memorial?

[chicklewis]

No photos, Jurgen, but I'll paint you a word-picture.

Chain-link fencing in a square about twenty feet on a side, overgrown with weeds and vines, broken down but locked gate in one side.  In the center of the square a little corrugated iron roof about 5 feet long protecting a wooden panel with printed papers behind it covered with plexiglass panels, not the least bit readable from outside the fence.  Termites were feasting on the wooden panel, roof supports, and printed paper.  

VERY tacky and depressing.  NOT photogenic.  

(edit) Can't find any photos with Google, either. 

[juergen c. olk]

Too bad they do not respect their history more.