Whispered memories of Belau's bais : a cherechar a lokelii

Abstract

Grounded in the Belauan proverb "A Cherechar a lokelii," this thesis explores the ways the Bai, the Belauan meetinghouse, informs Belauan principles and identity as well as the roles it pays in illuminating strategies for thinking about contemporary issues. Today people in Belau and around the world face challenges such as cultural marginalization and climate change; although separate issues, both find paths connecting one to the other. The physical structure and the social, cultural and political structures that come out of the bai indirectly demonstrate the connectivity of such issues as well as illuminating strategies for thinking about them. Specifically, using the Belauan strategy of indirect replies as a central methodology, this thesis engages in the stories painted on and told about the bai, gathered through the interviewing of Belauan elders and other scholarly research. It traces the history of Belau, from origins to colonization to political independence, with a specific focus on the bai as a key site and catalyst for Belauan identity. Ultimately, the bai gives us the foundation to begin examining strategies to address contemporary issues and challenges in addition to provoking us to further explore other types of indigenous strategies and ways of viewing the world.