Page 75 - AlertDiver_Winter2013

Yap has been
nicknamed “the land
of stone money,” a
moniker that references
its carved rock currency.
Ancient Yapese traveled
approximately 300
miles to neighboring
Palau to mine the stone
from which the money
was carved. The coins,
called rai, could be up
to 14 feet in diameter,
so canoe transport back
to Yap was an extremely
hazardous proposition.
The value of the
currency depended on
many factors, including
size and shape, quality
and — most important
— danger faced during
acquisition. While the
coins are still used in
certain transactions,
such as real estate
purchases and bridal
dowries, their size
means they are not
commonly moved,
even when ownership
changes. Rather, rai
is generally kept in
village “banks,” where
it is easily viewable by
visitors.
The continued
custom of rai exchange
provides a glimpse into
the local mindset; the
Yapese have maintained
many rich traditions
that remain minimally
influenced by the
outside world. Village
visits offer a glimpse into
a culture that seems to
be pulled directly from
a motion picture. Bare-
breasted women clad
only in flower necklaces
and grass skirts practice
weaving and dance,
while men demonstrate
their prowess at fishing
and betelnut harvest.
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It is possible
to see almost
anything in Yap,
even large Pacific
sunfish.
Opposite:
Yap offers a
second-to-none
mandarinfish dive
at Rainbow Reef.