Tiny Palau is one nation fighting the good fight for environmental awareness. World traveller Ros Freeman island-hops her way to this speck in the Pacific to investigate.
Alii! There was a buzz aboard the Qantas flight to Palau. Lycra-clad athletes sat amidst be-suited officials. The plane was full. The Pacific Mini Games were in full swing with host nation Palau welcoming 23 Pacific countries competing in 12 sporting disciplines. Every four years, the games are held, enabling Pacific nations to meet and compete. At Palau airport, Tahitian triathletes mingled with Samoan wrestlers and Tongan Judo exponents. It was a kaleidoscope of team colours, a dazzle of tattoos.
Tucked in between The Philippines and New Guinea is a series of dots on the globe. It’s the island nation of Palau, comprising of 340 coral and volcanic islands. Like many tiny countries, the passport stamp is huge. It’s the Palau Pledge, which ensures that visitors respect Palau’s ecology and culture during their stay. Palau is flying the flag for environmental awareness.
Palau’s original inhabitants came from Indonesia. In 1886, the Spanish arrived. They colonised Palau until the Spanish-American War. The Germans colonised it until WWI. The Japanese colonised it until WWII. After that, the US administered the Pacific Islands. Palau gained independence in 1994, establishing a Compact of Free Association with the US, which provides economic assistance and defence.
With such a medley of influences, Palau is very cosmopolitan. The population of 18,000 is boosted by 5000 Filipino workers. The country runs on Filipino workers, while the Palauans are quite laid-back. Tourists primarily come from Taiwan, China, and the US, but recent direct flights from Australia are trying to redress those numbers.
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| Tee and I enjoy our balcony |
Visiting the supermarket is always a revelation. What do the locals eat? The Pacific staples are taro, yams, breadfruit and seafood; however, it’s the international offerings that fill the supermarket shelves, especially Spam. Introduced by the US during WWII it’s now part of the Pacific Island diet. Spam is incredibly versatile, we discover; Eggs Benedict Spam, Kimchi Spam, Spam Sushi.
While counting the many varieties of Spam, we met Risong, a Palauan. She was happy to chat and keen to share her country’s culture and history with us. It was a wonderful opportunity to have an insider’s view of Palau.
The following day, a Palauan man rushed over to chat. Seeing two foreigners highlighted his sleepy day. ‘Where you from?’ he asked. When we replied his brain ticked over. ‘Australia? Hey what about the Mushroom Woman?’ Erin Patterson has elevated Australia to international news; even out-trumping Trump. Our new friend was the town cryer. By the time we’d reached the water’s edge, the news was out. The local men, sitting in their bai (men’s shed) each called out ‘Aussies, Mushroom Woman! Mushroom Woman!’ Sometimes it’s good to have an exchange with the locals. Sometimes.
The country is lush with tropical vegetation. You might expect monkeys to leap from vine to vine, and on the southern island of Angaur, that would happen. In 1906 the German colonists brought over six macaques from Indonesia. They would send the monkeys down the phosphate mines to check for noxious gases. The Germans left, but the monkeys stayed. The locals are ambivalent, the monkeys are a nuisance, but they’ve become part of the island’s heritage. Meanwhile, the crab-eating macaques, now numbering over a thousand, are having a ball. No spam for them!
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| Remnant from WWII (Edit: A US LVT amphibious landing craft) |
Gauguin would have loved it here. Beautiful island girls are like water nymphs. Down by the pool the boys pluck hibiscus flowers, place them behind their ears then belly-flop into the water. There’s a wonderful joie de vivre. Life is relaxed, people are happy.
That wasn’t always the case. During World War II, the southern island of Peleliu was the scene of one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific. Beginning in September 1944, the battle lasted over two months with the death of around 2000 US troops and 12,000 Japanese. It's also where Australian cinematographer and war photographer Damien Parer was killed. Today, eerie vegetation covers tanks, fortifications and cave entrances, a reminder of the tragic times that once befell this peaceful nation.
RELATED STORY: Peleliu 1944: Hell in The Pacific
The Pacific Mini Games ended with Tahiti topping the medal tally. It was time for us to pack up too. We loved the laid-back mood of Palau, its friendly people, and its beautiful islands. It was the perfect start to visiting the least-visited countries.
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