This is the twenty-eighth installment of The Cocoon Goes Global, a series that gives a sense of what the philosophy profession looks like outside of the Anglophone West.
This guest post is written by Daniel S. Helman, Instructor at the College of Micronesia-FSM, Federated States of Micronesia, Education Division, Yap campus.
- General Information
Yap is a small island in the Pacific Ocean near the Marianas Trench, not far from Guam, Palau and the Philippines. It sits adjacent to a related trench, the Yap Trench, and owes its existence to the folding and warping of the oceanic crust as it makes way for subduction. Yap is a high island, but lacks a central volcano. Instead, the tectonic forces pulled deep oceanic crust up to make way for the strong geometry that the subduction zone demands, much like darts in a pair of pants. The rock here is a mix of greenschist and other metamorphics along with a little basaltic rock and alluvium. It was never exploited for metals, like some islands in Melanesia nearby, and the geologic map shows some resources, e.g. some gold deposits and other metals, where economic return would not be guaranteed.
The island is small, only 100 square kilometers, and is in the western part of the Caroline Islands. To the west is Palau, and to the east are Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae and then the Marshall Islands. Along with Guam to the north, and the Northern Marianas Islands just north of Guam, these comprised the Trust Territory of the Pacific, administered by the United Nations for a time after World War II, and then by the United States. Interspersed among these larger islands are many smaller atolls, and many of these are inhabited. Ulithi atoll, for example, is about 150 km to the east of Yap, and was the staging area for the US WWII naval ships in the region, and departing en masse from here for battles, including in the Philippines, Okinawa and Japan. Ships would come back for repairs, refueling and rest. At the same time Yap was held by a Japanese administration, and visitors to Yap are treated with the twisted remains of US planes shot down in small skirmishes.
The region is still administered by the US. Guam and NMI became US territories, and the other islands are now insular areas of the US, compact states that allow for US control of their waters and shipping, and have some US administration, like US Postal Service and NOAA, in exchange for development money. Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae are the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia, while Palau and the Marshall Islands are each separate entities. The compact is renegotiated every decade or so, and the US presence plays a role much like the Maginot Line in France did after WWI. It is a showcase and meant for temporary peace of mind, a reminder of past strategies.
Yap has been inhabited for perhaps a thousand years, with some evidence of longer habitation, though records of course are sparse. The island is replete with species of edible flora, including different varieties of coconut, dozens of different types of banana, tarot and other crops. Breadfruit and island mahogany are used for structures, for building mens' houses, womens' houses, koiengs, and other buildings. Most living quarters are a mix of traditional with a few modern conveniences added, and are organized around village life still. Houses are built near gardens, and away from roads, so that some of the traditional lifeways are still very much intact. Fishing is widespread, and mariculture is a nascent endeavor. Terrestrial fauna include pigs, chickens, dogs, frogs, all brought by Spanish colonists, as well as fruit bats and monitor lizards, which came earlier. I imagine that the bats were brought over intentionally, since the distances for flight are far, but there has been some good biology research to show that the big lizards are likely indigenous, though both are eaten, and bats especially, as well as sea turtles are seen as delicacies. Arctic terns are often seen here as well, as are many migratory birds, but in general the island has a restricted ecology, like other island areas.
Like the fauna, the pace of life here is slow, safe and predictable. It is the safest place I have ever lived. Disputes are settled both with recourse to village chiefs, and also in the court system, though the latter seems to be less effective. Traditionally, punishments would have affected whole villages, and expiation would have been rendered by providing something of value. There are three kinds of local money I know about: large round stones (Rai Stones) carved from a quarry in nearby Palau and transported here with sailing canoes, and also shell money, carved from some large local oysters and affixed with rope made from woven coconut husk, as well as necklace money, made from carved shells and other objects of value, like whale tooth, etc. These types of traditional money would be offered both for alliances and to ask for forgiveness, and it was not uncommon for the offending party to be taken just the same to a mens' house and beaten, then held for ransom. Children also were traded, adopted into a high status families to settle disputes, and also for the sake of strengthening ties between different families or groups, or to carry on inheritance duties when there were no heirs. Such adoptions come with a long list of responsibilities, and are still common, a way for social ties to be strengthened and material wealth both to be shared and held separate at the same time.
Yap is the most traditional of the four states of the FSM, and is currently in transition. People may work in salaried jobs for the sake of money to buy gasoline and canned goods and rice, plus electricity and other necessities, but come Saturdays, everyone in a village is expected to return and assist in various duties. Traditional dances are still practiced, though not as much as before, and the island looks both to the past and its future.
Along with other islands in the region, Yap is a destination for scuba divers owing to beautiful fringing reefs and local populations of manta rays and sharks that are easy to encounter. A whale shark is sighted by divers here about once a year. I can personally attest that the corals and marine life here are marvelously diverse.
- Philosophy in Yap
I teach at the College of Micronesia-FSM. There are six campuses, one on each of the states of the FSM, plus an extra vocational campus in Pohnpei, and an extra maritime (think merchant marines) campus here in Yap. I teach at the state campus, and was hired to teach the classes for their education program, training teachers. There is one philosophy course offered by the college here where I teach. It is part of the breadth requirements for the education program, and the student population are education or liberal arts majors. Among the local population, Catholicism and other Christian faiths predominate, and I took the opportunity to introduce both Augustine and Aquinas to my students, as a follow up after Plato and Aristotle. My students were very engaged, and surprised by Augustine's earlier life. The course really is transformative for them, and does what it should do, namely provide an introduction and context for the Western thought that people are exposed to here.
Recent colonization in Yap started with Spain, and then Germany, Japan, the UN, and the US. Indigenous thoughts and stories are still being developed in the various local languages: Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian and Satawalese. Proper actions are required for certain things, like local medicine gathering, and the ritualization of behavior is meant to draw the proper result from the intent. Sadly, I am not well enough versed in the local culture to be able to do any semblance of justice to the local traditions, other than to say that I care deeply about the people here that I have met, and that it is a good place to spend time. I can see that someone wishing to write and think deeply could find an easy routine here for it.
- Opportunities in Yap
I've lived here for nearly two years now. When I first came, I had the opportunity to work independently for a few weeks, and can attest that there is an easy rhythm to the life here if someone were to come with the intention of doing dedicated work on writing projects. The electricity and wifi are stable, which is a rarity in the larger region, and the cost of living is not expensive. Rents range from a few hundred to about $500 per month for an apartment or small house, but the stock is very limited. Shopping as well has very few choices. I think there are maybe six restaurants on the island, and many goods either are not replaced when worn out, or you'll have to order replacements yourself, as the stores really don't have much ability to keep lots of products in stock. The population of Yap is about 8000.
US citizens can live and work here without a visa, and others are welcome but there is a more involved process for their paperwork. There are opportunities to teach on a part time basis in the college as needed, or to teach full time in the schools here. Teachers are always in demand, and housing is usually included in those jobs for foreigners. (If someone is interested in work here, feel free to contact me and I will help to set up what arrangements are needed, especially for teaching in one of the schools.) But teaching may be demanding of time. If the aim is to have a peaceful place for writing, or other individual projects, one could do much worse than spend a few months in Yap.
There is a caveat, however, in that the borders of the Federated States of Micronesia are currently closed because of the pandemic. Tourists cannot come here now. If I had to, I could leave, but return transit will be delayed or may not be possible. And medical care here is very basic. We do have a hospital, but equipment and supplies are old. People generally fly to Manila for treatment of anything major.
- Research Fellowships and Funding
The college here is part of the US system, and has a US based accreditation as a community college. It is eligible for many of the research grants that are available on grants.gov. The US government makes a few grants available as well for the insular areas in particular, and the competition for grants is less fierce than in other places. Applications are often accepted. There are not enough people writing grants here, and one could readily find work doing grantwriting for various organizations, if that is a goal. For research, one is in the same boat as other US based researchers. I think maybe one in six applications on average are successful.
A research fellowship would be set up by contacting one of the faculty here and making arrangements to do a joint application for a grant to support the work. It would be an ideal place for exploring ideas of sustainability, for example, as the island cultures developed in an environment where longterm sustainability needed to be carefully planned. But many fields would be suitable. People here are thoughtful and welcoming.
What an interesting article. I live in Chuuk in the early 1970's and loved that experience for much the same reasons that you do. The beautiful climate, the ocean, the easier life were great attractions. Thanks for bringing back some memories.
Posted by: Antonia Dosik | 08/18/2021 at 05:10 PM