Page 67 - Micronesia

Palau: Legend and Culture

Though the origin of the Palauan people is shrouded in folklore reef, there was no need to explore beyond the shores. Long dis-
and legend, the most accepted theory, based on linguistic sim- tance navigation skills diminished. Instead, the men became great
ilarities, holds that the islands were settled thousands of years ago fishermen and new more about the seasonal rhythms and life cy-
by people migrating from Southeast Asia and Indonesia -- people cles of fish than is known by Western scientists today. While the sea
who thought nothing of sailing hundreds of miles across unchart- was essentially the men’s domain, farming the land was where the
ed seas in open outrigger canoes. The early Palauans were perhaps women excelled, primarily growing taro, a staple food with tuber-
once gifted navigators, but when they got to Palau they stayed. ous roots that are cooked in a variety of ways.
With an abundance of food from the fertile land and surrounding