Palau is the furthest western island group of the Pacific Islands. The Philippines are to its west about 500 nautical miles away. To the south is the western end of New Guinea. Although these island peoples all have their roots in Southeast Asia, they have lost ties to their ancient homeland. Each has their own set of customs and beliefs and cannot be lumped together. In this cultural geography, youll learn all you ever wanted to know about the Palau Islands, beginning with their discovery in the fifteenth century, to their American takeover in the 1950s, and life there today. The author covers the history, economy, education, government, language, health, religion, and overall environment of the islands. Youll also learn about Palaus complex aboriginal culture and how for thousands of years, it has had a well-established matrilineal society. Village organization ideally consists of ten totemic clans graphically oriented in a system. Explore the majestic beauty and rich history of the Palau Islands with this detailed cultural geography that will make you feel as though youre there in person.

The objectives of this book are to describe the traditional socio-political organization of Yap and to examine the dynamic interplay of traditional roles, rules, and values with those introduced in the contemporary situation of American-directed change. The ultimate considerations undertaken here are the political, social, and cultural adaptations and consequences of this directed change. The analytical focus for both traditional and contemporary situations includes the processes of succession and accession to leadership, of selection and rejection of leaders, of initiation, organization and direction of activities; and of decision-making.

Twenty four essays cover a broad range of topics in cultural anthropology, and represent the best writings of George Peter Murdock and reveal his theoretical orientation and his many landmark contributions to the field.