By Christie Jones, October 1, 2008
Replica of a traditional meeting house, or bai, at the National Museum of Belau.
Today, October 1, Palauans are celebrating 14 years of independence. Palau is geographically a part of Micronesia, but not politically. Rather than becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, Palauans opted to do things their own way. After a century of domination by Spain, Germany, Japan and the United States, Palau officially became an independent nation on this day in 1994.
Palau is a small country of about 25,000 people but is geographically quite complex. It is a network of more than 800 islands that add up to just under 200 square miles of total land area. Tourism is one of the most important components of the economy. People come from all over the world to dive in Palau’s gorgeous blue waters, ranked among the top dive spots in the world.
Unlike on Kosrae and Pohnpei, we find it difficult to learn about the traditions and legends of Palau. With so many tourists from throughout the world, this country has a modern, international flavor. We make daily trips to the National Museum of Belau to deposit pressed plants in its herbarium driers. That’s where we pick up on some of Palau’s culture and history.
In ancient times and still today, Palauans are part of clans lead by chiefs. In the past, several clans would form a village, which traditionally had a meeting house in the village square called a bai. The bai served as a community center and was where governing elders would meet.
A replica of a traditional bai with its elaborate carvings and paintings sits just outside the National Museum of Belau.
A spinoff from the bai and a favorite tourist souvenir is the storyboard. The legends that were traditionally illustrated by carvings on the beams and gables of the bai are now carved on pieces of mahogany by local craftsmen. The beautifully crafted storyboards each portray one or more of the local myths and legends, and are easily packed in a suitcase.
A storyboard showing the legend of the breadfruit tree.
