Council of the Outer Islands of Yap:

Yap and its Outer Islands.

“The role of the Council of the Outer Islands of Yap is that we try to maintain our cultures and customs," Alphonso explains. "We see those that are still in good practice or use and should be kept, and those that should be changed because of new changes that are coming. Those are our main duties in that council. And also, if the government tries to come and affect our type of culture and customs so as to sort of break it up or something like that, and we know that it’s not going to be good for us, that’s when we come in and try to stop the government from doing so.

“There is also a council in Yap that maintains the same type of things that we are doing. So we are kind of working together, and see what is needed to be changed and what is needed to be look at when the new things come.

"For example I remember one time the Government introduced Eminent Domain [the right of a government to seize private property for public use, in exchange for payment of fair market value]. And then when we looked at it, we felt that our islands are too small and once Eminent Domain was introduced, then the Government could take over almost a whole island and poor people will have to move elsewhere. So we stopped this. We didn’t like Eminent Domain. Therefore if there is a part of the island that the government wants, they have to negotiate with the owners. These are the sorts of things that we try to look out for."

The "Chain of Command," as explained on the Neighbors page of the Arrival Chapter.

“So we are watching those aspects of our culture that still can help us, and we try to protect them in case the government tries to do away with them. Also we notice that, especially in the Outer Islands, our culture keeps us united. Throughout the Outer Islands, Mogmog is the chief island and the others listen to what the people of Mogmog say. And therefore, in the Council now the chairman is from Mogmog—not just any place from Mogmog, but from the chief’s platform. And also members of the Council from the other islands are also from their chiefs’ platforms.

“And when we discuss things in our meeting, the chairman stops and listens, because we debate about things, and finally he gives the decision: ‘Okay, why don’t you do it this way.’ We don’t vote like a democratic way of, ‘who’s in favor?’ He’s sort of acting as a judge. And then, because he has listened to both sides, he says ‘Why don’t you do it this way?’ and that’s it. And that’s our custom. And the people of the whole Outer Islands know this, and so they listen to what we decide.

“So, therefore, the line that usually comes all the way down now is, I think it taken up by the Council. Long time ago there were only a few chief islands. It started from Puluwat (now in the Chuuk group), then Lamotrek, Wottegai in Woleai, Fais, then Mogmog. Five. They called these the ‘five posts.’ And those other ones who made the trip down all the way to Mogmog and got together contributions to take it down to Gachpar. These unite us together. If this thing broke up, we’d scatter.

“There are some grumbles that comes to us that the chairman must be elected, but it’s actually in our Constitution here, that no law or anything can come against the traditions and culture. So some people were trying to make the chairman of the Council elected. But we know that once we elect, we cut the custom that we are supposed to preserve.”

“Before this time, the people of Woleai blamed people from Ulithi for changes that came. But we in Ulithi, we blamed the people from Yap. Now that we get together, we know the truth: how can you stop these changes? Now we sort of understand. But still we find that the custom and culture holds us together. Because once we small islands scatter …."

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) emerged from the breakup of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI), which in turn had been formed out of former Japanese territories in the Pacific. FSM comprises three former districts of the TTPI: Yap, Chuuk (Truk), and Pohnpei. Pohnpei was later split and the State of Kosrae created. But otherwise, the boundaries reflect the districts created by the TTPI.

“There was a time when the Government said we’ll divide the water, the FSM ocean area. Each state would own its own waters. Now the Outer Islands of Yap and Chuuk have connections. Some of people from these islands of Satawal, Puluwat and others, they have a place in our waters that’s usually theirs, and they used to come in freely. And also people on Satawal also have a place close to Yap Island that belongs to them. If we insist on putting a boundary there, these people are cut off from what rightfully is theirs.

“That’s what would happen on this side and also on that side. Because if you go, they say ‘what are you doing, coming into my water?’ So that’s why we try to fight of this. It’s still okay right now. The sea is the only thing that holds us together. Once I get my territorial waters, I can say, ‘I’m going to join Palau’ or wherever I want to go. But now we cannot because it is FSM water, how can you say that? You cannot. So that’s one of the connections that we have with the other islands.

“Former President, Nakayama of the FSM knows us and he’s from the outer islands of Chuuk. And he came down and he said ‘what happened with you people from Mogmog? What are you doing? Now you neglect us.’ And it was very true because right after the War, everything was mixed up and so Chuuk got separated from Yap. But before that, actually we were one group. It was the TTPI that split it up into Yap State and Chuuk State and Pohnpei State. They just drew straight lines."

The so-called Trukic language group of Western Micronesia.

“So now we realize what was done, and what we the Council have tried to do is hold us together, from Satawal all the way down. One example is this, some time ago when my uncle was still the chairman of the Council, some people of Satawal wanted to move to Chuuk. And some didn’t. And so he went up, and they told him the problem. And he said, ‘Oh sure. You people who want to go to Chuuk, take your stuff and go to Chuuk. But as far as Satawal is concerned, it belongs to Yap. So if you want to join with Chuuk, take all your stuff and go to Chuuk. But how can you take part of Yap and take it to Chuuk? You cannot.’ So they stopped. And that’s the tie, the tie that holds us together here.

"And this are the things that we’ve been watching."

Pacific Worlds > Yap: Ulithi > Onwards > Replanting