On August 12, 2022 the Director of the Belau National Museum, Olympia Morei-Remengesau, provided a donation of twenty-one (21) sets of Ethnobotany of Palau: Plants, People, and Island Culture Volumes 1 & 2, to the Minister of Education, Dr. Dale Jenkins, for distribution to all public schools and libraries in the Republic of Palau. Sets were also donated to the six (6) private schools in Palau along with three copies to the Palau Community College library, the Science Department, and the Palauan Studies Program. The two-volume book is a treasure of Palauan biocultural knowledge that examines the relationship between plants, people, and traditional culture, known as the science of Ethnobotany. The book includes information on botany (study of plants), traditional uses of plants, traditional land management and resource systems, conservation and education, economic development activities, ecotourism, and public health.
The book was a collaboration between the Belau National Museum, the New York Botanical Garden, the National Tropical Botanical Garden and many individuals, communities, and civic groups. The Belau National Museum Board of Trustees guided the projects development and served as ethnobotanical content reviewers in the final edits of the book. The work on this book was a culmination of a decade of field studies on the relationship between plants, people and culture, which began in 2007 and its final publication was in late 2020.
The project and research work were funded by a group of foundations and institutions that also generously supported the donation of this valuable resource to all the schools and libraries of Palau. It is hoped that it may be used to acquire a deeper sense of appreciation, pride, and respect for the traditional knowledge and values passed down through generations. It is hoped that the younger generations will be inspired to learn about and maintain the customs that play an important part in the vibrant cultural identity of our people.
The senior editors of the book, Drs. Ann Hillmann Kitalong and Michael J. Balick noted that “we are so excited to see this work distributed throughout Palauan educational centers, and look forward to students using the book to support the cultural memory of the country. One of the purposes of writing this work was to compile a resource that would be highly accessible, celebrate the knowledge of Palauan elders, and serve as a teaching tool. We are grateful to the hundreds of people who participated in this project at all levels, to the Board of Trustees of the Belau National Museum for overseeing it, and to the New York Botanical Garden for it’s steadfast support of this long-term project.” Director Olympia Morei-Remengesau also remarked that “as an oral tradition society, the documentation of our natural and cultural heritage through this book “Ethnobotany of Palau” fulfills the vision of the founders of the national museum in ensuring the preservation and promotion of Palau’s heritage. I applaud the diligence and partnership of all involved in this book and dedicate the work to the memories of the Belau National Museum Board of Trustees”.
The donation of books to all public and private schools and libraries in the Republic of Palau was made possible through the generous financial assistance (purchase and distribution of the books) of the group of organizations that supported this project over many years, including the Gildea Foundation, the Marisla Foundation, the V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation, the Germeshausen Foundation, the National Geographic Society, Edward P. Bass and the Philecology Trust, the Belau National Museum, and the New York Botanical Garden.
The 2-volume set of books can be purchased at the Belau National Museum or on Amazon.