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NgaraardNgaraard State is one of the sixteen states of Palau. It is located on northern tip of Babeldaob directly to Ngerchelong State. There are five hamlets in Ngaraard from North to South there is, ( Choll, Elab, Ngebuked, Ulimang and Ngkeklau). There is a meaning in Ngaraard "A rengud a donkngei" meaning they all work together as one in spirit and in heart. The old name of Ngaraard was Kerradel. No one knows how the old name Kerradelbecame its own name of Ngaraard. On our interview they said,"long ago Kerradel is well known name for Elab hamlet, no one knows how, why or when the name became Kerradel", to the whole village and changed to Ngaraard. Ngaraard just changed its flag. It is made of a golden-yellow star on a field of deep sky blue background. Behind the star, it has red stripe from the bottom left corner and to upright to the upper right corner of the flag. The star stands for the unity of Ngaraard State, and the five fingers of the star stands the five counties or hamlets of Ngaraard. The stripe of the flag shows that the state has both the east and west coast of northern Babeldaob and is striving for success. The blue background symbolizes the blue of the sky and ocean surrounding the Ngaraard State. The population of Ngaraard has changes over the years. In 1990, its population was 440 and in 1996, it reduced to 360. In year 2000, it has increased to 638. Office of Statistics under Ministry of Finance has not determine the real population for the year of 2004. We called that is what they say. Ngaraard is tropical climate. The temperature raises high at 83 degrees to a low o 81 degrees. Rainfalls take place during May to January and heavy rain is in June and July. On dry time, it takes place on February to April. Ngaraard history comes from long ways from Spanish time to German time to Japanese time to World War II and its present lifestyle. During Spanish time there was a priest named Father Luis who lived in Elab. He lived there to spread the good news of the Lord and he raised chicken at his place. People from Ngaraard did not take the Christianity so he decided to move. He went to Melekeok to Chief Reklai but no one like the Christianity, so he decided to live at Ngchesar. On his way to Ngchesar, he met some people on the road who gave him bad directions to Ngchesar. Father Luis ended up not knowing where to go and got sick, Chief Reklai hear Father Luis story so he told people to look for him. They found Father Luis lying down and was very sick. The people of Melekeok take care of him but he died. He was buried crosswise not like everyone at Uudes burial ground. On German time, there were men of Ngebuke who were working for German police station in Ngebukedd. Maderngebuked at that time was a friend of Mr.Winkler a German person. Maderangebuked asked Mr. Winker that prison would move to Ngaraard. Mr Winkler said it was OK. So the prison moved to Ngebuked. During that time German made a law that all Palauans would work to plant all kinds of plants. If no one does it, they will be sent to Ngebuked for prison and Maderengebuked would supervise them. This is one o the reasons why there are lots o coconuts in Palau. Germans stopped marriage and other religions accept Catholism. But they made people work very hard. Some people of Ngaraard moved to Angaur to work in the phosphate mine. Doctors from Angaur traveled to Ngebuked to see people because there was a sickness called leprosy. Those who were found to have leprosy were sent to Melekeok for healing. There were to much leprosy during that time that so many Palauans died. In addition, a German lives in the bai ra Ngesang with his wife and children. Nobody knew what he was doing but people saw him shooting herons (sechou). During the Japanese time, there was a Japanese school in Ulimang, Ngaraard. Japanese teachers and a few Palauans teach at the school. The school was only 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade. Students from the school came from Ngardmau, Ngerchelong, Kayangel and Ngaraard. There is a teacher Hijikata they remember that he teach student on arts and crafts. Every morning students have assembly like the assemble at our school and they would bow to toward Janpanese to show respect and their loyal to the Japanese Emperor. My great grandma said that if students did not know their lessons, they would be punishing in standing outside all day staring at the sun. I am glad I am not in Japan time. Ngaraard also had two stores. The first store sells sweets and clothing materials. Nanboyeki store was to buy coconut from all the islands. People who did not have money can exchange coconuts for clohes material. There was another Japanes who was married to Palauan woman and they had tapioca farm. Many people from Ngaraard went to work at Angaur for phosphate mining, others went to Ngardmau to work on bauxite and some went to work for Nanboyeki. Then there were also Spanish priests who stayed in Koror and travel to all the islands sharing Christianity. When World War started in Palau, people of Ngerchelong and Peleliu came to Ngaraard to stay. When they came to Ngaraard, Taro Matsuda, Maderangebuked younger brother was to help all people who came Ngaraard and find people to host them. When the war started all the people run to live in the jungle of Ngebuked and make their houses. People who wanted to go to taro patch or go fishing must tell Japanese soldiers to get ok from them. When they finish doing taro patch or fishing they have to go back to the Japanese soldiers and tell them they are finish. My grandma said they always take lots of their food so when they go home they have only little for the family. When Americans started to shoot everything. People from Ngaraard were very afraid because no one have ever seen the airplane. Especially when something comes out of it like fire. They called it big birds with fire (Meklou el kiued el ngarngii ngau el tuobed a ngerel). Japanese were always marching back and forth keeping their eyes on everything that moved. During that time, plenty of food runs out because Japanese keep taking their food and the Americans big bird keeps flying out. So many Ngaraard people were very hungry. They always go out at night and find food because the big birds would not come but they had to be careful because if Japanese soldiers see them they would kill them. Japanese ordered that they would group Palauans and kill them. Japanese soldiers met with Palau chiefs to discuss where to house Peleliu people because they were going to make Peleliu as their Military base. When they were in the meeting not one of the chiefs wanted to house the Peleliu people. Therefore, Maderangebuked volunteered to take all the Peleliu people because Ngaraard has a big taro patchs and farms to give food for a lot of people. This is why Ngaraard people and Peleliu people have a special friendship. There is Odesangel stone, this is an old name of Peleliu standing by Bai ra Ngaruau. The people of Peleliu who were in Ngebuked during war carved the Odesangel Bad. They carved the stone as a memorial o the time they came out from hiding. Carved on the stone are written, "Odesangel Bad, 1945 28/9". The writing shows that the people of Peleliu and those from Ngebuked and others that had been hiding in the jungle came out from their hiding place on September 28, 1945. It is said that Ngebuked people were originally from Angaur. They lived on a mountain in Angaur called Roisbuked. When Roisbuked was full of people and not enough land for crops or food to support all the people. People from Angaur went out looking for another island to live in. After leaving Roisbuked, they moved to Peleliu called Ngerchol. When Ngerchol could not hold many people, the people decide they will move to Babeldaob looking for a place to stay. They traveled to the Babeldaob where they landed a place between Melekeok and Ngaraard. When they landed there, they walk on their feet toward Ngiwal. People from Ngiwal were very mad at them so they moved to Ngaraard in Ngeteluang. And one morning a child walked up the mountain and found Ngebuked, he told the chief so the chief went to see what he saw. It was so true so they all moved to Ngebuked. Ngebuked was divided into two sections, bita el taoch ma bita el taoch. The chief of one section was Kerai and the other section was an old woman named Romei. When an old woman could not hold all the responsibilities as a chief, she asked Oiseuang another older woman to rule. There were two brothers from Ngeruangel sailed by and saw smoke rising at Ngebuked, they stopped to get their supplies. The older brother like what he saw at Ngebuked and decided to stay and dthe younger brother traveled to other areas at Babeldaob. The younger brother ended up in Melekeok and became, Chief of Melekeok. The older brother stayed in Ngebuked, he was very nice man who minded his own business, and he did whatever they asked him. Oiseuang became older and cannot perform her work as chief so she looked for a person in a village who can perform all the work for the chief. She saw that the man had the skills to get the chief. She visits him and asks if he can become a chief, he asked he could be named Mad. Chief Mad was able to unite the two sections into one whole village of Ngebuked and so he became Mad ra Ngebuked. Kerai remained the head of the village; meaning that when there is a contribution of food, he still receives the portion for the first title but the one who has the authority and power over Ngebukedd is Maderangebuked. Therefore, the order of the chiefly title the first title is Maderangebuked, the second title is Kerai and the third is Techur. The title Techur had clan members from Ngeaur, Airai and Ngerchelong. Therefore, if a member from Angaur assumes the title then he would be called Techurchelong and if a clan member from Ngerchelong assumed the title he would be called Techurchelong and if he was from Airai he would be called Techurrulak. Here is the lineage of chiefs of Ngaraard. Beldeklel a Klobak er Ngaraard Ngebuked: Ngaruau Dups 1. Maderngebuked - Thomas Remengesau 1. Mlechei 2. Kerai - Johnny Reklai 2. Dilbuked- 3. Techur ra Ngelngiil - Markus Shiro 3. Dililau Umai Shiro 4. Rbecherekesadel- Laurentino Ulechong 4. Diraurei 5. Rbechoraidung- Joel Toribiong 5. Bringual 6. Adelbai ra lechetii -Tadashi Sakuma 6. Diraadelbai 7. Keraremiou- Hamberet Senior 7. Dilkerai 8. Maderngesmus- Tadao Ngotel 9. Techur ra Romei-Humio Orak 10.Rbechoruat- Kalistus Renguul Mar becherir ar Ngaruau a nga er a belsachel er a Dups. Ulimang: Rubak ra Ulimang Rbil 1. Beches- Illusches Reksid 1. Ebil Otong-Ereong Remeliik 2. Imrur-Kanai Edesomel 2. Dirabong-Kebor Medalarak 3. Ngirchau-Beshure Kanai 3. Dirchau-Umai Cheterochel 4. Erabeluu-Ongos 4. Dirailong - Nina 5. Ngirairung-Beketaut Wasisang5. Ebil ra Irung-Ilebrang Soaladaob 6. Ngirudil-Moi Recheungel 7. Ngiraitbang-Boluaisei Orak 8. Rechelbang - Evangelisto Ongalibang 9. Rmedecheduch - Tochi 11. Iyechad er a Ermall-Isaac Bai Mar becherir ar Ngara Rubak Ulimang a nga er a belsachel ar Rbil eng di te di chemachell. Elab: Ngarachelab 1. Ngirarois-Idip Ngiratiou 2. Esebei er a Ibedechang - vacant 3. Rdang er Iterir-Feliciano Blailes 4. Rdang er a Bang - vacant 5. Esebei er a Kedung-Chiokai Kloulubak 6. Melob-Kyoshi Rechuher 7. Ruauch-Besebes Blaluk 8. Odaol - vacant 9. Esebei er Kmei-Julius Echang 10. Ongetruich - vacant Ngkeklau: Rubekul a Ngkeklau Ngaramesikd: Ngaralei: 1.Kloulubak-Rdang Uchel 1. Rechebal- vacant 2.Adelbai er a Ngeldei- Ngirailemesang Siliang 2. Ngirchoteot John Rechuher 3. Elidechedong-Ngiramechelchalb Isidoro 3. Adelbai ra Merab -Yosteru Sungino 4. Llamur-Yanangi Matul 4. Rengullau - vacant 5. Tkoel-Francisco Sungin0 5. Adelbai ra Tonget-Isaias Ngirailemesang 6. Rutecherar-John Ngiratiou 6. Tulei ra Choteot- Isaac Stephanus 7. Rdui ra Dnger - vacant 7. Tulei ra Merab-Malsol Ngirabab 8. Rdui ra Kedid-Tadashi Sakuma 8. Rechuruang-Ingais Semediu 9. Madracheluib-Edesomel Ngirachemoi 9. Mad ra Chorukei-Franz Deluus 10. Madraisis-vacant 10. Ucherbelau-Kalisto Manahan Choll: Ngirasechedui Ngaripkal 1. Ngirameketii-Ngirangeboi 1. Ikreked ra Imeduu-Wally Madrengchar 2. Kodeb-Remoket Ngiraswei 2. Ikreked ra Sirs - Yuri 3. Ngirchoteot - vacant 3. Cholabeluu - Rekesewil 4. Ngirachesebers- Browny Salvador4. Ikreked ra Idis - Tekau 5. Ongeim-Tadao Ngotel 5. Ongeim – Ngirailab Ngirngemeyusech 6. Ongelolem-Besebes Osarch 6. Choll a Beluu - vacant 7. Ongeuid-Esang 7. Ongewid ra Rebesungel- vacant 8. Ongeiai-Siangeldeb Rdechor 8. Ikreded ra Rebesungel - vacant 9. Ongetiu-Johanes Ngiraswei 9. Ongetiu - Katosang 10. Ongetruich-Yuri Iderbei There are plenty of natural resources of Ngaraard. They are forest, fertilizer of taro patch, marine lives, waterfall, ponds and small creeks. The landscape of the outlook is mostly mountainous forest, sandy beaches on Desbedall and mangroves on Keiukel side. There are many living things that lives in Ngaraard natural resources; they are fruitbats, pigeons, starlin birs, pigs, mangrove crab, land crabs, cone shells (rechiil), shrimps on the creek, banded snake (mengernger), aquatic snake (kemaiirs), dogs, cats and different kinds of insects this includes mosquitos, wasps, bees and kerdard and many more. One of the famous crop/plant at Ngaraard is taro and its recipe (using taro leafs, coconut milk and land crab) it is called Demok. These are some crops of Ngaraard; swamp cabbage (kangkum), tapioca (diokang), sweet potatoe (chemutii), giant swamp taro (brak), banana, calamondin (kingkang), breadfruits, ysaol, amra tree (titimel), Eugenia plant (chedebsachel), wax apple (rebotel), betelnut tree and pepper leaf (kebui). Ngaraard has a rich soil it has plenty crops but Ngaraard has only few vegetables. People from Ngaraard should plant different kinds of vegetables. There are many important places in Ngaraard State, all hamlets are very important because they all have valuable places from long time ago. There is Traditional Village of Elab, Chetoilechang, Diong er Ngerchokel, Bai ra Ngaruau, Beluu er Ngebuke, Diong era Imeduurang, Ulimang hamlet is said to be the child of god Chuab. We also believe that an important places includes; Head Start, Elementary school and Bethania High School, hospital, Bai ra Rubak, Ngaraard State Office at Koror, Bem Yore and the stores. Ngaraard has change a lot because many different technology has just been introduced to the state such as, electricity, telephone, televisions, computer and cellphones. It has made Ngaraard lifestyle different. Because road is good many people ride on a car instead of boat to visit their family at Ngaraard. Many people own their own cars. But people still use boat to fish. Long ago peoples technology was learning how to navigate from one place to another by reading movement of stars and moon and the wind. My grandpa said he used to drive the boat during night without flashlight, he just use the moon as a light to show his way. He can tell if he can go fishing or not because of the moon and the nature of ocean. He used line fishing at Urung when he was a young boy. When he grew up he learned some names of shallow water namely…… These are some title of stories we found for Ngaraard State: 1. Obechad 2. Tucheliaur 3. Tulei ma Surech 4. Mechut e Dil 5. Kerailchelid 6. Rechemchem 7. Ngiracheluch But we want to tell you story of Tmelodech and Uchelianged: Uchelianged Uchelianged who was over at the west coast had two sons. One day the brothers went fishing and luck was with them that day for they caught many fish. Upon their return to land, they decided to roast some o the fish for themselves because they were very hungry. As they put each fish over the fire, each one frizzled because it was too fat, which meant that the fish were very good to eat. The brothers said, All the fish turned out to be so good therefore we should save them for our parents. All the fish turned out to be so good that the sons did not eat any of them but saved them all for their parents. When their father learned about their good love for them, he told his wife that they should find a way to give their children the gift of everlasting life. The father took his two sons a journey to Ngerdebus. Ngerdebus was well known over Palau for its powerful magic. At Ngerdebus, the father said to one of the elderly man, “ I come seek your help. My two sons are the best and most loving sons that I have ever had. I would like you to help me give them the gift of everlasting life.The old man from Ngerdebus gave Ulchelianged a tea plant and told him to plant it on a lake. When the right time came, the sons were to dive into the lake and they would remain young forever. Uchelianged did as he was told. He chose to plant at the Ngerchokl Lake. The very day Uchelianged sons were to dive in the lake, an old woman and her daughter from Ngardmau who were traveling to Ngaraard stopped by the lake to rest because it was very hot day. While they were resting by the lake, the old woman dove into the lake to cool her body. When the old woman surfaced, she had turned into young woman. Her daughter began to jump up and down crying, You are not my mother, where is my mother? The daughter kept crying and jumping. The old woman dove again and when she came up, she had turned to her old self again. The mother and child then continued in their journey. Later that day, Uchelianged and his two sons arrived. When his sons dove into the lake, nothing happened because the old woman had reversed the spell by diving in the lake that brought her old self. Now when you go to the lake, you can still see the footprints of the little girl on the rock by the side of the lake where she was jumping up and down crying and exclaiming that the young woman was not her mother. Tmelodech A woman named Diltekuu was swimming in bathing pool, Bitekuu, in Ngerdeuais. A man who was up in the coconut tree collecting sap saw Diltekuu on the pool and so he went down to the pool and hid Diltekuus tail. When it was time for all the fish to return to the sea because morning was coming, Diltekuu could not go because her tail was gone. (Diltekuu is a yellow fin and can change to human when swimming in the pool). After everyone left, the man came to the pool and asked Diltekuu who was still in human form, Whats up? Diltekuu replied, Oh, I cannot get out of the pool because someone had stolen my grass-skirt;. The man got some leaves, gave them to the woman, and said, Use this to cover you and let me take you to my house. The man took Diltekuu to his house where she became his wife and they had a daughter named Meruubelau. As Meruubelau grew to be a beautiful woman, news of another beautiful woman named Chedidelangel spread throughout Palau. When Meruubelau father heard about this, he began to seek ways to get rid of his wife Diltekuu so he could go and see this beautiful woman Chedidelangel. The old man searched the house for the tail of Diltekuu and found it. He gave it to Diltekuu. Diltekuu took her tail and said to her daughter, Meruubelau, Im leaving but you stay with your father and go and see for yourself how beautiful this woman is. Diltekuu went to the dock and jumped into the sea. As she dove into the sea she changed into her real self, the yellow fin tuna fish. Diltekuu was unable to dive because her tail had shrunk. As she mumbled about her misery, she saw a fish called kermesuus, with a better tail. So she said to him, Let us exchange our tail. Since you stay in the shallow waters you take my tails. As Diltekuu was leaving to the deep water, she commented to kermesuus, If you run a ground on the shallow waters, just called out loud and the kmai and cheleched will carry you out to water. Diltekuu then left and mae her way to a new home in the deep waters o Elab. Diltekuus daughter Meruubelau traveled to Elab looking for Keruau, a feast in Ngebuked in honor of Chedidelangel. Upon her arrival at Elab, she ran into Uchel ra Roisang at Ngesang, who was making coconut cord. Uchel ra Roisang humbly asked her, Itsevening and you are still traveling, where are you going?; Meruubelau replied, Im looking for that big feast in honor of Chididelang.Uchel ra Roisang commented the place is nearby, let me wash myself and Ill take you there.When Meruubelau set forth on this journey, she did not put her grass-skirt, even though she ha it with her, because she did not wish to get it dirty. She picked mangrove tree leaves and wore them. So while she was waiting for Uchel Roisang to finish washing himself, she took the mongrove tree leaves that she had been wearing and discarded them at the front of Ngesang. She then put her grass-skirt. The leaves that she threw away grew into mangroves. The mangroves got bigger and there are mangroves that are in Ngesang today. Uchel ra Roisang took Meruubelau to be his wife. Because Meruubelau wanted to go to the big feast in honor of Chedidelangel, Uchel ra Roisang went to see Obechad of Techikebai. They wanted to go to the feast over at Ngebuked. Ngebuked and Ngesang were two different places that were separated by the sea. Obechad gave Uchel ra Roisang ashes (chab) to throw in the water for his wife to be able to cross to Ngebuked. When Meruubelau threw the ashes into the water that separated two villages, the water turne into land so that she could go to Ngebuked to see the feast. This land was given the name Elab, which comes from the word ashes (chab). Meruubelau and Uchel ra Roisang had a son named Tmelodech. One of the chores that Uchel ra Roisang did was to bring food to the gods who were making honey at Ngerulmong savanna. When Uchel ra Roisang took food to the gods, he would always make some kind of noise to let the gods know that he was approaching. As Tmelodech grew bigger and capable of helping around the house, his father gave him the responsibility of taking the foods to the gods with the instruction that he must make some noise before he reached the place of the gods where they were working. Tmelodech did as his father asked him to do. One day, he decided not to make any noise on his next trip to the place of the gods. As he crept slowly to where the gods were, he saw that the gods had brought the moon down and were using it as their lantern. He went back to the road and made noises before he arrived with the food. As he brought the food in, he noticed that the moon was not there but up in the sky at its usual place. Tmelodech was crying when he entered his house. As soon as his father saw him, he said, You saw the moon! Yes and I want a piece of it,replied Tmelodech. His father went and took a piece of the moon for his son. When the moon is on its new moon phase, tab el buil, only a small portion of it can be seen because its other portion was the portion that was taken and given to Tmelodech. Tmelodech took the piece of the moon and used it for a hook. His father advise him that every time he returned from fishing, he must show his line and hook to his father first before he showed his catch fish. Then one day Tmelodech hooked Diltekuu (yellowfin), his grandmother. Diltekuu broke Tmelodechs line and the hook was left in her throat. When Tmelodech returned home without his hook, his father got very angry with him and scolded him, You are your mother son. Your mother was traveling when I found her.This saddened Tmelodech and he cried to his mother who was tending her taro patch. After hearing her son, she said, &Yes ittrue that I was traveling when your father found me.She then went to see Obechad of Techikebais assistance in getting back the hook. Obechad prepared something to help Tmelodech getting back his hook. She got piece of wood from chermall and some ashes and gave them to Tmelodech with this instruction, Go to the place where you were fishing and throw the ashes into the sea and then dive into the area where you threw the ashes. He then dove to the area where he threw the ashes. As he dove in, the water became a village and he was coming down a stairway to the village below. As he approached the village, he saw children collecting water from a well and so he asked them, What are you doing?The children replied, We're taking water to the house because the woman of the house is very sick. Hearing this, Tmelodech commented, Elduul ma euil (pile and wave). Back in the house, the children share with those who were in the house news of the stranger and his odd comments. Those who were in the house told the children to invite the visitor in. The woman of the house was very sore and could not eat because of the hook that was stuck in her throat. The man asked what was wrong with the old woman. He was informed that the old woman was sick because of the hook in her throat. The man asked if he could talk to the old woman. Permission was granted, Tmelodech told the old woman to open her mouth wide open. As soon as her mouth was wide open, he placed the piece of wood in her mouth to keep it open and he slid his hand in and removed the hook. Once the hook was removed, Tmelodech also removed the piece of wood. He told the children to give water to the old woman to drink. After she had drunk the water, she felt much better and asked those who were in the house to prepare food for supper with the man who had saved her life. Diltekuu then asked him what he wanted. He said, Banana. The old woman gave him a type of banana that was colored red to take with him. This type of banana is no longer found anywhere in Palau. The old woman also said to him, Every time you lower your line, we will place a basket of food on your hook but if your line feels heavy, tell your friends to be quiet because you're pulling in a village. And this village is surrounded with foods. You will be rich. Every time Tmelodech went fishing, he pulled in baskets of food. He gave away these foods to the villagers and the clubs. Then one day when he was pulling in his line, it felt heavy. He knew then that he was pulling in a village as the old woman said. He told his friends,Keep quiet because I'm pulling in a village. Wait until the whole village is up then each one of you may claim any part you like. But as soon as the village surfaced, his friends began to claim this and that so he let it go. The village was called Tmelodech but today every one just calls it Elab. That is why the side o Elab on the east coast is not as high as the side on the west coast. The east coast is lower, almost at sea level. There is a stone that lies at the stone path at Elab showing a deep hook shape on the stone and everyone claim that this is the stone where Tmelodechs hook hooked the land. There are so many stories of Ngaraard that are not told in my report but we have learned a lot from our researching about Ngaraard. By: Dilrae Mechol 4th Grade Koror Elementary School
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