| Description |
Women's Wealth
Mesei is a taro field in the wetlands that is used to cultivate dait (Colocasia esculenta) and brak (Cyrtosperma merkuzii). Dait is what we call the whole plant while the whitish gray to purple corm is called kukau or taro. A well maintained taro patch consists of a network of square plots filled with mud and covered with a variety of selected leaves used to fertilize the taro and control weeds. Taro and the taro patch are a woman’s valuable property. A woman’s social status is based primarily upon her agricultural skills and abilities to cultivate kukau. It is an integral part of the diet, materials, and customary practices. It pervades everyday life as well as all ceremonies, from birth to death of all Palauans. |
