Micronesian women weave a variety of open and closed baskets with intricate designs. Craftswomen form the base of the basket with coconut frond ribs and weave the baskets from strips of pandamus leaves. Lacy, open weave designs are produced by using coconut fiber or hibiscus. Women also weave decorative wall hangings using the same techniques used to craft the baskets.
Now a collector’s item, navigational stick charts were used as a navigational teaching tool. Woven out of pandanus root or coconut frond and bound with cord made from coconut fiber, these three-dimensional charts provided information about sea currents and islands, which were marked by shells. Curves in the navigational stick charts showed wave patterns. These charts were produced only in the Marshall Islands.
Micronesian crafters use cowry and other shells along with coconut fiber to produce a wide array of jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets and earrings. The tradition of jewelry making goes back to the days when Micronesian chiefs wore complex jewelry made with relatively valuable shells, bones and coral. Today, jewelry is produced both for personal use and to sell to tourists.
Micronesian canoes are carved from the breadfruit tree. This skill is passed down to the younger generation today. Replications of the three types of canoes--paddle canoe, sailing canoe and long sailing canoe--are produced today to sell to tourists. The model canoes feature sails woven out of pandanus leaves. Pandanus leaves were used to weave the sails of the paddle and sailing canoes years ago. These canoes now have sails that are woven out of cloth. The model canoes provide a reminder of the old techniques.
Monkeymen are small figures that are carved out of various types of wood. The monkeymen are highly stylized, making it possible to determine which island pieces originate from by examining the facial features and body shape. Monkeymen are likely used as figures in household shines and may play a part in traditional burial practices.