CULTURE
The
people of Yap and a few outlying atolls in Chuuk still wear traditional
dress, most villagers live much as their ancestors did. They support
themselves by subsistence farming and fishing, use traditional
food-preparation techniques, and gather in community meetinghouses
for ceremonies and leisure activities. Islanders from some of
the remote atolls have maintained their skills in the construction
and navigation of large single outrigger canoes. The seamanship
of the islanders is probably their most remarkable achievement
and has astonished Westerners since initial contact. Wood carving,
originally practiced for religious purposes, has become a commercial
enterprise. Women in some of the islands weave lavalavas on traditional
belt looms, and nearly everywhere large sleeping mats are plaited
of pandanus leaves. Tattooing, once used widely to indicate social
status, is seldom practiced today, but the traditional dances
remain a favourite form of entertainment.
