Looking forward to week 2 of our first project fund-raising in Micronesia. Please visit our project page at GlobalGiving and help us preserve their cultural history.
As we continue to collect support for our project at the National Archives of Palau, I thought it appropriate to give more information about this tiny, yet dynamic island nation. The flag of the country is quite striking and the two colors are truly a representation of their culture.
The flag of Palau became effective on January 1, 1981, as the country gained its sovereign status. Similar to the Japanese flag, Palau’s colors are very symbolic in its simplicity. The light blue signifies two meanings. The first is that it depicts the freedom the country has achieved, while the second, naturally, represents the vast Pacific Ocean.
The golden disk in the middle is interesting, as one would think it is an image of the sun. However, it represents a full moon. In Palau many cultural and human activities take place during a full moon such as: celebrations, traditional canoe carving, fishing, sowing, harvesting, etc. Additionally, the full moon is sacred, and is a symbol of peace, love, and tranquility.
Island Time 