|
his wife Lucy Yarofadil, both local teachers from Ulithi. BB had traveled abroad and somewhere had discovered the joys of nudism. He was a frustrated nudist, however. Although women may walk bare breasted, either sex going totally without clothes, he told us, was considered indecent exposure. "Could we come out to your boat and sun ourselves?" he asked plaintively. It must have been one of the most unusual requests ever made of us!
The conversation was interrupted. "We have a little problem. Some Yapese have arrived."
"Oh, Why is that a problem."
"If they come we must go."
"I see." In the complicated island cast system Yapese held rank over out islanders.
But the Yapese did not stay more than a couple of minutes, probably because of the presence of out islander's there.
Later BB explained that Yapese have an untouchable class, a fact not mentioned in my guide books! "Is it an untouchable class like in India?"
Yes, similar. They live apart and are not allowed to show themselves.
"Then how do they live?"
He said that they are allowed to build a house in some hidden position. They farm the land and do odd chores for the owners. If the owner is having a feast he will demand from them all sorts of produce, knowing it will be delivered without protest. The U.S. government funding arrangement stipulates all children must go to school. But BB said it causes problems. "No one wants them." Some untouchables do get ahead---if they leave the island to finish their education elsewhere. However they can never come home to get a job in Yap!
BB continued. "Sometimes when we are at a party like this and we feel a little sorry for them we walk out into the trees and put a beer down on the ground. They come to get it."
In mid-July Typhoon Mninbudo, number nine for the season, headed our way. We headed up to an inlet we had explored with Michael Gumbiner, manager of Trader's Ridge soon after our arrival. Although the anchorage had looked roomy enough from the launch it seemed considerably more confined when we squeezed Sea Quest between walls of coral shelf. However we rigged four anchors and found the holding to be excellent and the surrounding hills adequate protection.
While in Yap we were privileged to lunch with Mangefel, first elected Yapese head of state, now retired, and Joseph Habuchimai, former Lt. Governor of Yap, both of whom gave us many insights into the culture and convoluted Yapese politics, which of necessity involve the other Yapese islands, lower cast people of what was once a dependent trading partner.
Wonderful news arrived. My manuscript Cruising Japan to New Zealand: The Voyage of the Sea Quest" had been accepted by Sheridan House for publication in late 2004. Five years ago in 1998 we departed from Japan to sail home to New Zealand with Miki Hiramatsu aboard as crew. I began a journal then that in the three years we spent refitting our boat in New Zealand became a book.
The end of September nears. As soon as the trade winds look like setting in we will make the 800 mile passage to Samar and the Visaya's in the Central Philippines.
|
|
