how ropen flew overhead one nightPterosaurs Still Living

Other Umboi Island Eyewitnesses
Pterodactyloid pterosaurRhamphorhynchoid pterosaur

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Villager describes the ropen light that flew overhead.
Missionary Jim Blume interviews an islander

The missionary Jim Blume interprets the old man’s account: Long ago, the ropen uncovered a human body that had been buried in leaves.
Mark Kau explains his sighting of the ropen

Mark Kau, of Gomlongon Village, tells an interpreter of one of his sightings of the glow of the flying ropen.

villager tells about traditions of the ropen of Umboi Island

In Opai Village, oral traditions and stories of the ropen are kept alive by this man (2002 interview by Paul Nation and his Tok-Pisin interpreter).
Gideon Koro interviewed in mid-1990's

Gideon Koro’s first videotaped interview, in the mid-1990’s, was just months after his frightening encounter with the giant ropen over a crater lake (Lake Pung).
Young woman describes how the ropen flew over their village

During a videotaped interview conducted by the American Carl Baugh, a young woman described how the ropen flew over their village (Lab Lab, Umboi Is.).
Native tells missionary about the pterosaur-like creatures that are bigger than a man and eat fish.

Another islander, when shown a magazine illustration of a pterosaur, told the interpreter that he himself had seen creatures like that. They eat fish and live in caves.
magazine illustration of a pterosaur

Interpreter Jim Blume holds magazine illustrating a pterosaur (AKA “pterodactyl”)
islander tells the story of his father and the stolen fish

One man believes that the creature that stole fish from a camp one night was the “duwas,” also known as “ropen.”
Rhamphorhynchoid pterosaur