Bridengeding (Unfocused)

By Santy Asanuma

And I thought Palauan has no technical terms in the language to describe obscured behaviors. While in a gathering at Ngerwikl, Ngchesar some years ago Rechesengel a known authority in Palauan wisdom was passionately relating to a group of men why there were four stone monoliths (btangch) on four corners of the stone platform right outside of the village bai. This was obviously a critical and relevant knowledge because most of the men in the group were in leadership positions so the old man was intent in his articulation. Then he was suddenly interrupted by one of the men who turned his head towards his daughter’s call. The discussion came to a standstill until the man turned his attention back to the old man. He reprimanded the man for being “bridengeding” (with too many ears) because he gives his attention to garble over important matters at hand which made him unfocused.

The modern breed of Palauan aristocrats

By Fuana Tmarsel

Mama is snobbishly happy because she wears the family stone, (not just a stone, but a BIG stone bachel or whatever they call it) and can give her children whatever their hearts desire. At Surangel’s, she arrogantly pushes the cart past other customers, not bothering to acknowledge their humanity, after all they are beneath her, or so that is how she comes across. She is married to a government official so despite her obvious lack of anything admirable, she by our materialistic culture standards is deserving of respect, despite the circumstances of her life.

Public Initiative

By Jackson Henry

Public Initiative (PI) is a process that allows citizens to place legislations into a popular ballot to be voted on in a referendum. PIs are powerful arsenals in the hands of the people to push for economic changes. It is way of injecting the wish of the people directly into the legislative process by having them participate in it. PI is a way of saying “let the people decide”.

Noble Savages (Meteet El Sikou)

By Santy Asanuma

The white people who lost their way while looking for something around the world had the nerve to call people of the island they were wrecked upon as noble savages. The combination of the terms noble (ngalek el ilteet) and savages (rechad ra oreomel) is like using words such as cold hot or good bad together to describe people. For people who do not know how to drive well in the seas and who are in need of things in other lands, they go around calling people in their own lands names. Stupid names too.

Priorities, contradictions, and taxes

By Kambes Kesolei

2009 seems to be playing out over again. At about this time last year the newly installed House of Delegates introduced and passed as its second ever bill a proposal which eventually provided each OEK member with an annual salary of $50,000. Now, fast forward to this year, the House with its third bill of the new year – HB. No. 8-65-5 – proposes to increase the salaries for the president, vice president, and the ministers. “This is to balance out everything,” said Del. Rengulbai, one of the bill’s introducer.

Palau needs a paradigm shift for success

By Fuana Tmarsel

The dominance of market economy has had a corrosive effect on the global social conscience which have led to an erosion of moral authority in most society including our beautiful island of Palau. Similarly, contemporary theorists and politicians who endorse the global movement of human rights have contributed much to this confusion by proclaiming their misinterpretation to the public as if it is the truth and therefore, we must change our ways.

Haiti

By Jackson Henry

This nation is known not only as the poorest in the western hemisphere, but also a “revolving door” saga of coup d’etats, corruption, rebellions, brutal violence and anarchy for the past 500 years. After devastation recently by four hurricanes, the January 12, 2010 earth quake finally leveled this struggling island not only to a “failed state but in a state of chaos”. No wonder why evangelist Pat Robertson calls Haiti a “cursed nation”.

Ngdideberbel Ma Tekingel (Talk Upon Arrival)

By Santy Asanuma

The Kingfisher is a bird of mishap (mdikik malechub e ng metemall) in Palauan observation. The full saying goes like this, “ng ko ra Tangadidik el di deberbel ma tekingel” (like the Kingfisher who speaks as it lands on a branch). This proverb discourages people from speaking their mind when they first join in a discussion. Palauan wisdom is keen from past experience that a person, who does not spend time to see who is in the group and how they are connected and what is the nature of their discussion, tend to put his foot in his mouth by saying something. This is a crucial social skill to have because Palau being very small makes the likelihood of person you speak against to be related to someone in the group.

An anniversary that was not expected

By Kambes

This week marked my first year anniversary in the news reporting business. For 52 weeks, I have always wondered what got me into this – to give up some of my precious after hours and weekends, to toil as a news writer, reporter, photographer, editor, columnist, layout, etc. and all with no compensation. My better half – a truly wonderful and most adorable woman I know – insist that I go get a brain scan.

Palau’s silent economy

By Jackson Henry

When we talk about the main sources of Palau’s cash inflow, we immediately think of tourism and fishing. However there is low profiled but a vibrant economic sector that is not well known because of the lack of reliable statistical data available. If the speculators are correct, this sector would be Palau’s second largest source of cash inflow, only second to the $80 plus million tourism industry. I am referring to cash remittances from overseas Palauans which I call “the silent economy”. I heard from a reliable source that this sector is $20 million annually. This explains why our local economy has remained a bit buoyant, despite the negative effects of the global recession. Cash remittances also explain why Palauans are able to raise sizeable amount of cash during funerals and Ocheraols.