Traditions of Koror
The main town of Palau, home of storyboards, bai meeting houses and the first-birth ceremony.
Koror is the largest settlement of Palau, in western Micronesia. Society follows a clan system with women's councils holding authority over land and chiefs. The bai, a painted meeting house, is covered with storyboard carvings, and the island's culture centres on the exchange of money and food at ceremonies.
Customs of Palau
A first-child ceremony, ngasech, marks the birth of the first child and involves the exchange of food and money between families. Palauan women make traditional money, udoud, beads, to exchange. Storyboards, carved and painted in bright colours, narrate legends of the islands.
At the table
Palauan food centres on fish, taro, coconut and tapioca. Fruit bat soup, a ceremonial dish, is cooked with coconut milk. Taro patches are cultivated by women, and the rich purple taro is cooked in sweet puddings. Sweet potatoes and bananas are eaten with fresh reef fish.
Signature traditions of Koror
Also part of it, and being written: Bai (The Palauan meeting house.), Taro (The root crop of the Palauan taro patches.), Pandanus (The leaf and fruit of the palm used for mats and baskets.).
A trail idea for Koror
- Etpison Museum See storyboards and money.
- Rock Islands Boat out to the limestone islets.
- Bai ra Irrai Visit a meeting house.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, markets and festival dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
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