Omesubel A Klechibelau: The Rise of a New Program at the Palau Community College

Abstract

Omesubel A Klechibelau: The Rise of a New Program at the Palau Community College (PCC) explores the idea to have an established Palauan Studies program at the community college in Palau. Palau as a self-governing nation has been shaped by past colonial histories more particularly the US. This thesis seeks to highlight questions of Palauan identity, dependency, self-sufficiency, decolonization and cultural preservation. Research into PCC's history, curriculum, and the student enrollment status as well as the results of a student questionnaire supports the notion to establish a Palauan Studies program. The Palauan worldview is accentuated through a proposed curriculum and examples of course instruction independent of western philosophies and concepts. As a decolonizing process, the Palauan Studies program, situated within an educational system highly influenced and dominated by western concepts, is undergoing a similar process faced by many other island nations in the wider Pacific. From similar experiences in Oceania, the Palauan Studies program draws on broader regional themes concerning culture and education.