| Popis: |
was essential to the well-being of the people of the islands now known as Palau. Largely isolated, the Palauans would surely have faced starvation if they had irreversibly upset the natural balance of their environment. Ecoconsciousness was intrinsic to their everyday life and cultural perspectives. With the arrival of various colonizers, Palau was propelled, virtually overnight, from a subsistence economy to one that involved trading internationally and exposure to previously unknown goods. The presence of foreign governments and the emergence of a trade-based economy eroded traditional conservation practices, leaving an ethical vacuum as the people struggled to adjust to new guiding principles. The next decades were marked by overharvesting of marine and land resources and overall degradation of the environment through pollution and modern development activities. Today, although degradation continues at an ever-increasing pace, there is hope as many are witnessing firsthand the costs of such behavior. Despite the overwhelming impact of foreign lifestyles, the core of many traditional beliefs, values, and practices has survived. Palauans are still closely tied to the land and the sea. Nevertheless, the changes that have occurred in the last century require traditions that once met the needs of the community to undergo further modification in order to adjust to the modern lifestyle that Palauans are adopting. |
