Stories and myths from Ngerkeklau and surrounding islands, Republic of Palau

East Coast of Ngerkeklau island by Hiromi Ito AmeCyArk

Introducing Ngerkeklau

Ngerkeklau is an island in Palau, renowned for its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. Amazing archaeological discoveries have been found in Palau, and preservation groups in the country are inspiring new generations of Palauans to understand and care for this heritage. 

Megapode and sea turtles of Ngarkeklau Island by Danny KloulechadCyArk

Protecting Ngerkeklau

The island provides important nesting grounds for endangered species of Megapode and sea turtles of Hawksbill and Green. The surrounding lagoon provides critical feeding habitats for the turtles and the vulnerable dugong.

Aerial View of Palau in Pacific Ocena by Lightning Strike ProCyArk

Where is Palau?

Palau is an island country in the western Pacific, made up of about 340 islands. 

Community in Palau on raise pier by Elchung HideyosCyArk

Community Storytelling Workshop

In 2022, StoryCenter held an online workshop for local residents through the U.S. Community Heritage Exchange Initiative. 

Elchung Hideyos and other community members in Palau by Elchung HideyosCyArk

Creating the stories

After sharing stories and traditional myths from Palau's past, participants were guided through writing and recording short narration scripts, producing images, and using digital editing tools.

Sailboat in the waters off of Palau by Elchung HideyosCyArk

Listen to the Stories

The simple short videos that emerged are being shared as part of Palauan language preservation and conservation efforts. Listen to the stories of three of the community members below.

Sailing to Reconnect

by Elchung Hideyos

Bekai ma Uel

by Ann Singeo

Credits: Story

This project was made possible thanks to support and efforts from the following organizations: The U.S Department of State and StoryCenter

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

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