East Fayu

East Fayu is an a low coral island in the Central Caroline Islands.

Alternative spellings and historic names include: East Faiu, Fasgu-Pissilu, Fajo; Faliao, Kutke, and Rukutee

East Fayu is single coral island is located at 6° 34’ N., 151° 22' E., 19 miles west of Nomwin and 57 miles east of Namonuito. It is small, low, and wooded, and is surrounded by awide fringing reef. It has no permanent inhabitants but is occasionally visited by natives of Murillo and Nomwin.

The island was discovered by Russian Friedrich Benjamin Graf von Lütke in 1828.

East Fayu is a part of the Hall Islands within Northwest Islands, itself part of the Outer Islands of Chuuk. These fall within Chuuk State in the Federated States of Micronesia.

East Fayu is owned by Nomwin, though located outside of the Atoll. It is occasionally visited by natives of Nomwin and Murillo.

Role in Trade

Even before the appearance of Europeans, the natives of the Cental Carolines carried on considerable trade with one another by barter. The most active traders in the area were the inhabitants of Polowat, who monopolized the trade with the nearby islands of Pollap and Houk and voyaged westward to Woleai and Ulithi in the Western Carolines to secure dance girdles and other native products in exchange for articles which they brought from Chuuk. Once a year, down to 1873, they joined natives from the Western Carolines at West Fayu for a voyage to Guam, a 300-mile trip which took eight days. At Guam, which had long been occupied by the Spaniards, they bartered canoes for iron axes and machetes, which they traded to the east. As a result of this aboriginal traffic, the first visitors to Chuuk and the Nomoi Islands in the eighteenth century found the natives already well equipped with iron implements.