Monday, November 3, 2014

Yap Island, Micronesia.

The land of Stone Money.

Yap is the most western state from the four states that make Federated States of Micronesia, (FSM). This will be our last stop in Micronesia, after being 8 months in this part of the world, we will alway's have sweet memories about Micronesia, and the wonderful people who live here.







                                             
              Yap living history museum




The meeting house, called "Pe'bai" and "Faluw", is found in each village in the island of Yap.
Pe'bai is a kind of public hall where men, women, and children come together for various community activities.
Faluws stand along the shoreline and serves as a workspace for men, and a learning space for cultivating traditional work skills. To this day, women are not allowed near Faluws.
These beautiful and striking traditional architectures of Yap are constructed entirely by hand using only local materials.





Stone money, 'Raay' or 'Feaq' in Yapese, is a traditional currency in Yap and unique in the world, where its usage still exists even today. The value of stone money is derived by the oral history of each piece. These massive carved stones were transported from one particular quarry site in Palau and remain a cornerstone of Yapese culture.








Catamaran " Back beat" was hit by a taifoen in Woleai, and brought to Yap for repair, Glen and Marie and some local workers are making the catamaran seaworthy again.



Living history museum canoe houses.


With my friend Hanae. It was a surprise for me meet her again since Pohnpei.


Hanae and Marrie, wife of Glenn ready to go to Terang Island (O'Keefe's Island).  


A special welcoming  for  Captain O'Keefe's great granddaughter  Victorine O'Keefe Heuvelman on Tarang Island for the first time in 113 years.










Flag  OK  raising by Captain O'Keefe's great granddaughter Victorine Heuvelman



This old stone stairway, is the only remain of the house that capt. O' Keefe builded for himself on the island Tarang.



A big stone money on Tarang Island.


Victorine Heuvelman and her husband (both with flower crowns on head) and some VIP's, on Tarang island.



A Belgian/Australian man, Philip started a few months ago with a clam farm on Yap.



Beautiful big mother clam, 



Big investment in tanks, pipe's and pumps, and then hope that it will work out. 



Philip showing an empty (dead) clam.


Glenn, showed us some old Japanese fighter planes, most of them destroyed by American bullets. 







One more big stone money.


Eddy and Glenn walking on a historical site, with plenty stone money, The Japanese in the years 1930 made an inventory and came up to more then 35.000 stone money, all carved and transported from Palau, this tradition must have been going on for centuries.

Special plant, umbrella over a cup with water, when an insect comes inside, the umbrella closes, and becomes a lit on the cup.





In the boathouse from the people of Lamotrek, Robert gets a tattoo, a self fabricated tattoo instrument, and some printer ink, and the tattoo artist can make his design.







The ferry/cargo ship that's make's voyages between the outer islands ans Yap. 


Meeting some friends from the outer islands again.








Helena in the center, lonely in the anchorage.


Eddy repairing the light wind sail (again).


One evening out for dinner with Glenn and Marie.


Friends from Woleai visiting on the boat, Joanna and her nice. 


Sunset in Yap harbor.

Monday, October 6, 2014

Yap, Micronesia. The Homecoming Festival June 21, 2014

In Yap there is e celebration called "The homecoming Festival" , This year a grand grand daughter of O'Keefe (living now in the Netherlands) was invited to be the guest of honor on this festival, O'Keefe's story can be read on the internet, just google "O'Keefe and Yap" there is even a movie made about this man, called " The king of Yap" with Burt Lancaster in 1954.

Here is a link if you want to know more about Yap history, tradition and events.

http://visityap.com/



A beautiful  stone money carved in wood.



Handicrafts and carvings made from wood,  locally made, for sale.

   

With my friend Hanae.

   

More beautiful handicrafts and colorful lava lava's


   


  The price of this  lava lava in dollar US is 40 dollar and 50 cents, because it is made from natural fibre from the coconut tree. 

    

Fruits and vegetables market, delicious bananas, breadfruits, coconuts, mangoes, pineapples, oranges, papaya, guava, sour sop and so many more local fruits and vegetables were available in this special day.










Our friend Maylin in her exposition with others locals women. Maylin is original from Kapingamarangi, an atoll and a municipality in the state of Pohnpei of the Federated States of Micronesia. She designs beautiful Handicrafts. Maylin teached me some of her techniques of  weaving.

 

Maylin designs.







Opening Dance: Marching Dance.







Yapese dancing is a form of storytelling and oral history.  They are four main types: Sitting, Standing, Marching and Bamboo/Stick. Dancers wear beautiful costumes, like multicolored hibiscus skirts, and ornamental head-dress, and cover their bodies with flowers, coconut oil and yellow turmeric powder prior to performing.









                                            Women's sitting dance "Anugumang".




























 Marrie , her friends and  I we  enjoyed  the Olympic Day Walkathon.  








Women's stick dance "Titinyiyar".









Women's  bamboo dance










Stone money carriage ceremony.







Marching dance.















Men's standing dance, "Tarang".













Hanae with a cute kid.


Well done dancers!