PSU Magazine Winter 1992

This Bai, a traditional men's house, is the only one that survived the war. Its front is covered with cultural art depicting Palauan myths and stories. uch complex clashe of culture and envir nm nt abound in Palau. The republic' economic and political uncer– taintie point to a dim future. There is not enough money to maintain road , schools, and other necessitie of a developing culture-especially one that wants to promote touri m. The problem is exacerbated by Palau' dependence on U.S. money and its trained re lations with the U .S. Depart– ment of Defense after its refusal to allow a military base on the islands for storage of nuclear materials. Will Palau remain dependent on others? Will it alter thousands of years. of past cultural practices to allow development and more independence? Will it destroy its natural trea ure ?Per– haps the future lies in the strength of Palau's matrilinear ociety , Dewey suggests. Some, uch as Stuart Grover, are struck by the many contradictions. "There's the overwhelming natural beauty, and there's the feeling that thi is mankind' last chance to save ome– thing so valuable," say Grover. "Unless decisions are made very quick– ly, people in 50 or 75 years may not have a chance to enjoy it." 0 (Brian White is a Portland free-lance writer.) Field trip information Dick Dewey is leading three 10-day field trips to Palau on Feb. 18-27, June 18-27, and June 28-July 7. Up to 22 people may enroll for each ses ion. Total co tis approximately $2,850 and includes air fare, hotel accommoda– tions, most meals and fees, and tuition. Reservation are taken on a fir t-c me, fir t- erved ba i , and a $200 refundable deposit i required. For more informa– tion contact the PSU School of Ex– tended tudies at 725-4081. Palau endures despite a history of domination Any modern-day visitor to Palau must have at least a brief grasp of it checkered hi tory. •!• Palau barely endured early colonizing efforts by the British and panish. During the century between 1780 and 1880, about 90 percent of it 40,000 people peri hed from influenza and dy entery epidemics brought by colonizer . •!• German took control from the Spanish in 1899, lured by the island ·' phos– phate depo its and copra (coconut meat). •!• German control la ted only 15 years, as the Japanese eized the i land . Bauxite and pho ·phate mines, pineapple plantations, and rice fields flourished as the Japanese exploited natura l riches for their home land need . The Japanese al o exploited the Palauan·, pressing them into a subservient existence. During this period the Palauan city of Koror became the capital of Microne ia. The population rebounded. •!• World War II brought a bloody bombing to the Palauan island of Peleliu. The United tares had sought a military ba e from which to launch attacks on the Philippine . In September 1944, U.. plane heavily bombed Japanese stron– gholds on Peleliu. American prayed napalm to help clear the island's thick vegetation and improve acce . When the skirmi h was over, 11,000 Japanese and 2,000 Americans had died. About 10 percent of the native Palauan popula– tion perished as well. The battle was the third wor t among World War ll's many confrontations in the Pacific. The extraordinary number of Japane ·e corp es on the tiny island attracted such vast numbers of flies that Americans sprayed the insecticide DDT-one of the first-known applications of the deadly chemical. •!• The United States gained contro l after World War II and for the past two decade has tried to establish the right to build a military ba e-a ba e that would allow storage of nuclear material · and u e of nuclear submarin . The Palauan have persistently voted down efforts to allow uch activities and have embraced the concept of a nuclear-free zone. •!• Economically, Palau is "a welfare rate dependent on the U.S. for 95 percent of ir- budget," write David tanley, author of Micronesia Handbook. Il– legal drug growing and trading have al ·o marred it economic future. Not urpris– ingly, many Palauans reared on the islands move elsewhere for education and job. P U9