A Treasured Island

In the tourism industry, Yap is most famous for its stone money, locally known as raay. Dating as far back as human history on the island, Yapese locals use their stone money for trade, economic status and as a denotation of their caste. But to Yapese culture, the stone money signifies much more than currency; each piece of stone is personal. It is a story, memory and reminder—a symbol that reflects the hazardous journey to the Palau islands to quarry the stone, to bring it home in handmade canoes and to protect it. The story of how the stone money was claimed or won from other tribes—a frequent part of each piece of stone’s story—is meticulously remembered and tied to the stone’s history.

To visitors, the islands of Yap appear to be frozen in time. In villages, men still dress in loin cloths and women wear grass skirts and intricate jewelry and adornments. For traditional festivals and celebrations, men and women move in synchronization to local dances that tell the islands’ history and native Yapese songs are heard throughout the islands. Yap is bountiful with traditional values, culture and daily life. But with globalization, many modernizations have affected the islands in its post-colonial state; compelling the ancient Yapese culture to mix with modern influences.

The islands’ growing tourism boosts Yap’s economy, including access to modern education, healthcare and trade goods. From government officials and police officers to students, business owners and nurses, locals are adopting new modernized roles and new ways of life in their communities. Local grocery stores and markets in town provide Yapese people and visitors alike with provisions such as dry cereal, packaged snacks, sugar, canned meats, fruits, vegetables and milk, as well as soft drinks and beer. Because of these conveniences along with post-colonial and western diet influences, many Yapese people are exposed to foods that are unfamiliar to their ancestral diets of fresh fruits, vegetables, seafood and local meat.

To help deter obesity and other health concerns, Yapese community health centers are increasing diet and exercise awareness and implementing public screening health events. At Wa’ab Community Health Center in Yap, the staff uses a Rice Lake Competitor Series body composition analyzer to help educate Yapese locals about their body composition and healthy living.

“If [a patient] fell outside the normal range, they were counseled on methods to lose weight and exercise more,” says Malgarsoh. Although still new to the Yap Health Services department, the BCA has already received a warm reception. “The medical staff appreciates the fact that they no longer have to work mathematical formulas involving height and weight; it is done automatically and saves much time and effort,” says Malgarsoh of the staff’s response to the BCA.

With the success of its use at Yap’s Women’s Health Week, plans are already in process to incorporate the BCA at future health screening events as well as regular use at the hospital. “The Men’s Health Week is coming up next, and the plan is to use the BCA [then] also,” says Malgarsoh, “[and] a protocol is currently underway for its use on a regular basis at the Yap hospital.” With the BCA’s assistance, the health center is actively helping the Yapese people choose healthier lifestyles, ensuring that this rich and beautiful island is able to continue to flourish.

The mix of old and new is welcoming and superbly unique to Yap. From ceremonial bamboo dances and stone money, to education and healthcare, Yap is two worlds in one. In the morning, a Yapese woman can go to work at the health center, providing modern care with innovative equipment like the Competitor Series BCA, and at night, return to her village to practice the traditional Yapese dance Churu and make her hibiscus skirt for an upcoming festival. Embodying immense pride for their culture and history, with a yearning for innovation and modern advances, the Yapese people weave two worlds’ threads into one intricate piece of cultural art that is truly unique to the world.