published June 10, 2003 Whatanow Column
Alii K,
This week I have been asked in an interview if Palauans are happier today compared to yester-years (“sel domes aikel mla mo merek el rak e do rael mo bedul uriul”)? If Palau is more developed now than years gone by which aspect is it? Why did Palauans take on community activism (“remurt ra tekoi malechub e ng ureor el kirir rechad ma beluu el diak lududel e re ngii”) more so in the past than it is nowadays? Is Palau serious in developing its tourism? These are some of the questions asked of me that painfully pierced right through me. I am not exactly sure now what scared me the most even after the interview because these questions are still burning in my head. Was it the fact that the interviewer was a foreigner asking me these questions that I thought I had foolproof and convincing answers to them ready or the fact that I could not conjure (ko ra oblad) answers to these rather soul searching questions (“aikel ker el ngara chelsel a rengum el kirel el di kau a chonger”)? What really bothered me while I was asked these questions is that it dawned on me that majority of Palauans do not have clear answers to these questions either. At least that is my opinion, which I hope I can be proven wrong.
If happiness is tangible (“ng sebechem el mesang malechub e kerutechii”), then Palauan people are happiest as can be today. Soon the number of cars will be same with the population of Palau. But then again many of the cars on the street means clan or family lands are gone forever for being sold or exchanged. “Omengat” (traditional herbs and spice hot shower healing for women after the first born and marriage ceremony) in recent times can easily garner twenty thousand dollars and still climbing. I suppose that marriages in Palau are better today since they have higher price tags on them? “Ocheraol” (fundraising by one’s relatives to pay for a house) is in the stratosphere (“merael ra eleanged”) or if not in another universe of its own by getting closer to hundred thousand dollars level in recent years. I suppose then with better homes in Palau today young families in general are wholesome (“te ungil a ulekerulir”) and have true sense of direction (“te ungil medengei a rengrir el kmo a klengar re tir ng merael bedul ker”) with their family life.
But the problem is I cannot in clear conscience (“sel mededais ra renguk le ngungil e melemalt el tekoi”) say that these are all true which make Palauans happiest today. If having more means happier, then Palauans are happier more so today with the lifestyle compared to yester-years because most aspects (“aikel rokui teletelel”) of Palauan life is either increasing in numbers or size. One simple example of this is the famous one size fits all Z-85 plate custom food that is being served to children and adults alike. I suspect that my clan and family are no different than others so we usually order twice the number of food just in case. Listening to the Women’s Conference for the last ten years, the financial burden by these customs are becoming intolerable (“ng dikea le mekard”) by any scale. I tend to believe that the legendary “Uab” could probably be the lifestyle back to the beginning of Palau that became out of control like today. As the legend goes, people finally had to kill “Uab” to relieve themselves from the increasing burden.
Then there is the Compact Road leading us to the promised land of Babeldaob. With the eve of completion for Compact Road nearing, it is common sentiments (“aikel tekoi el di deblechoel melekoi”) among Palauans that life will be happier upon the completion of the Compact Road and return of the people to Babeldaob. Something likes the biblical return of the Jews to the Promised Land. The immense (“klou lo berberk”) size of Babeldaob must be good for something. Many good things will happen in Babeldaob is what most people want to believe. But I have not come across at least one person that explained to me how this dream would happen. People just have this great expectation that Babeldaob will be developed but much of it depends on outside help and more foreign involvements. Somehow tourist dollars will pour into development of Babeldaob. It is going to be like Koror people think. So where does happiness come into this plan?
While Palauan people keep running up the numbers and sizes for everything from our cars to customs to government in search for more happiness, it is rare these days to see Palauans take on community activism which was not extraordinary deed but the norm to get things done in community in the past. Remember there is no pay in doing community activism. It is now common for people to say, “Let state government takes care of it because they are getting paid.” So if we have more of the above and less care for community activism, are we more developed than Palauans before us? You tell me. And as for Palauan happiness today, money is dwindling (“merael el mo mekesai”) according to Bank of Hawaii April 2003 Report and does not look good beyond 2003. Since we are so dependent on outside help, will someone from outside please tell us that we are already happy?
January 2012 snapshot: Palau has declared NCD emergency 2011, Compact Road is falling apart, and the seat of government in Ngerulmud is without air conditioning.
