in Yap

Tropicalities

Tradition, progress, in Yap

travel and fishing within the reef, and by some inhabitants for voy ages to and between outer islands such as Ulithi and Fais.

The plaited palm bag in my photograph of Governor Mangefel is typical of those car

ried by nearly all Yapese men

and women. The dexterity and skills required to make these bags and baskets are learned very early in life, as I saw during a visit to a Traditional Culture

class at Gagil Elementary

School.

In addition to Yap’s natural beauties, the abundance and ac cessibility of its famous stone money and magnificent tradition al houses, make the shortest visit a visual delight. Rai, stone money discs of crystallised limestone, ranging in size from approximately 30 centimetres to three metres in diameter, were quarried centuries ago in Palau

and perilously transported to Yap

up through the early 1900 s. To day this stone money is still considered legal tender even by

Yap is reputed to be the most traditional country in Mic ronesia, and has long taken pride in this characterisation. A reflec tion of this attitude is Governor

Mangefel’s pleasure at the legis

lature’s recent passage of a con

stitutional provision requiring

Traditional Yapese Culture clas ses in all elementary schools.

This will, it is hoped, ensure survival of the many crafts and traditions that make Yap culture unique in the Pacific.

At the Gagil Elementary

School, training in the arts of boat-building starts early with a Traditional Culture teacher.

Once learned, these skills are exercised for a lifetime, as vivid

ly demonstrated by an 82-year

old Yapese man I saw repairing his canoe. These outrigger canoes are still used in Yap for

Governor John Mangefel: The importance of local culture

foreign banks. Most of the rai is deposited in “banks’’ the land adjoining a village Men’s House; other pieces adorn the many pathways connecting Yap’s vil lages. But some rai simply rests alongside the houses of impor tant families to denote their wealth and status.

Most of the traditional Men’s Houses, as well as many family dwellings, are constructed from local materials and lashed to gether in the old manner by sennit rather than nails. Canoe prows, shells and other sea memorabilia including a whale’s vertebra decorate these houses.

These are vivid evidence that the sea and marine life are as important a part of Yapese life today as in earlier times.

Formerly colonised by Spain, Germany and Japan, Yap since 1947 has been administered by the U.S. as part of its Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

Along with Palau. Truk, Ponape, Kosrae, the Northern Marianas and the Marshalls, Yap is part of a “sacred trust’’ given by the United Nations to the U.S.

Governor Mangefel is approv ing about the U.S. administra tion’s role in the development of education and political awareness during this period. As he points out, all the Trust Territ ory countries have their own elected legislatures and leaders.

However, he is critical of the U.S. administration’s lack of

success in promoting economic development and infrastructure.

The governor feels that U.S. failure in this area is the main reason for the region’s present state of dependency on outside assistance.

Ultimate independence of the Micronesian countries constitut ing the U.S. Trust Territory was always a condition and goal of the U.N. trusteeship agreement.

During the 13 years of negotia tions on the future status of these countries and their relationship to the U.S., Yap joined together with Ponape, Kosrae and Truk to form in 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia. On Octob er 1, 1982, the FSM representa tive Andon Amaraich, signed a Compact of Free Association with the U.S. which is to be ratified by plebiscites, tentatively scheduled for this (northern) summer.

Governor Mangefel frankly said that he was not too happy with the conditions of the com pact. But he recognises the necessity for give and take in the situation. Of specific concern to him is the provision on “strateg ic denial.’’ This provision re quires the government of the FSM to inform the U.S. in the event of a third country seeking access or use of any part of the FSM by military personnel or for military purposes. It also gives the U.S. the right to remove from the FSM individuals whose pre sence constitutes access to or use of the FSM by military personnel or for military purposes.

On the sunny side, however.

Governor Mangefel freely admits that the current Five Year De velopment Plan of Yap is based on receiving Yap’s portion of the money committed to the FSM by the U.S. upon ratification of the compact. Of the $U.5.325 mill ion promised during the next five years, 40 per cent or approxi mately $l2O million, is earmark ed for economic development in the FSM. According to Yap’s Development Plan this money will be used for programs in five main areas: 1. To strengthen and diversify Yap’s economic base: Governor Mangefel believes this goal will be attained by supple menting the present production of copra, farm produce, fishing, betelnut and handicrafts with timber, phosphate (formerly mined by the Japanese), citrus fruits, spices, tobacco, sugar, cut flowers, coconut candy and coconut oil. 2. To provide for the basic human needs of all the people: The recent signing of a contract for a new water system in the Gagil district is an example of how this goal is being imple mented. Also under considera tion is another water system for the southern part of the island. 3. To develop economic self sufficiency in food production: Governor Mangefel acknow ledges that complete attainment of this goal is a bit unrealistic in view of the present and ever increasing population of Yap (in 1983, 10,264 with 42.3 per cent

under 15 years old). However, he pointed out some encouraging trends for example, Yap is now fully self-sufficient in egg production and a planned chick en farm on Ulithi will, it is hoped, reduce the present degree of dependence on imported fro zen chicken. Chicken now ac counts for 55 per cent of all imported meats. Another way the governor hopes to increase food self-sufficiency is to induce peo ple to eat locally grown taro and yams instead of imported rice.

In Yap as well as many other Pacific Island countries a large percentage of the percapi ta cash income is derived from government salaries, and is spent on beer, soft drinks and tobacco.

Since all of these goods are im ported this situation adversely affects the country’s cash out flow, without in any way benefit

ing local producers.

Governor Mangefel is keenly

aware of this situation. He has attempted to alleviate the prob lem by slapping a ,35c tax on all beer sold. Public drinking is also discouraged in Yap. One of Col onia’s two hotels does not have a bar at all, and the other restricts the clientele allowed at its bar.

These practices appear to have

helped Colonia (Yap’s capital)

avoid some of the problems as sociated with excessive drinking and violence found in other dis trict centres.

The remaining goals of Yap’s Five Year Development Plan are; 4. To create a government of a size and structure that can be

locally sustained: A minor but significant step in this direction is the construction of new gov ernment buildings that are not air-conditioned. Instead the of fices are designed to take advan tage of Yap’s natural breezes so that the energy saved can be used for other purposes. 5. Provide socio-cultural values for people according to the tradition of Yap society: First, we have the constitutional provision to provide Traditional Culture classes in all Yapese elementary schools. The con tinued validation of stone money, and construction of new Men’s Houses in the traditional style, are other indications of the viability of traditional ways in Yap.

Governor Mangefel feels that relations between Yap and the other federated states Ponape, Truk and Kosrae have im proved over the past four years.

He credits this partly to the in cumbent leaders of these coun tries, and to the guidance of the Federation’s President, Tosiwo Nakayama. The governor is of the opinion that Yap and the other Federated States of Mic ronesia will ratify the Compact of Free Association with the U.S. Then, he hopes, the long overdue economic developments of the region can get underway without diminishing the dis tinctive culture and life styles of Yap and the other Federated States, that have survived so

many colonisers.

Caroline

Yacoe in New York.

Top left: Weaving a basket at Gagil Elementary School. Top centre: An 82-year-old man works on a Yap canoe. Top: Traditional Culture Class at Gagil school. Above: A traditionally designed house at Gagil. Note canoe ornaments and stylised fish on gable end and stone money in foreground. - Caroline Yacoe pictures.