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.

Thirteen distinguished anthropologists describe how they create and use the unique forms of writing they produce in the field. They also discuss the fieldnotes of seminal figures—Frank Cushing, Franz Boas, W. H. R. Rivers, Bronislaw Malinowski, and Margaret Mead—and analyze field writings in relation to other types of texts, especially ethnographies. Unique in conception, this volume contributes importantly to current debates on writing, texts, and reflexivity in anthropology.

This book discusses the cultural importance of spirits, what spirits want, and how humans interact with them, using examples from around the world and through time. Examples range from the vengeful spirits of the Zulu that cast lightning bolts from clear skies to punish wrongdoers, to the benevolent Puebloan Kachina that encourage prosperity, safety, and rain in the arid American Southwest. The case studies illustrate how humans seek to cooperate (or counteract) spirits to heal the physical and spiritual ailments of their people, to divine the truth, or to gain resources. Building from their cross-cultural analyses, the authors further discuss how our physiology and psychology impact our interaction with the spirits. Readers will come away with an appreciation of the beauty and power of the spirits that continue to shape the lives of people around the world.