Palau Culture
Religion:
Roman Catholic majority.
Social conventions:
When it comes to everyday interactions, most Palauans expect some form of salutation, and it’s considered rude not to say ‘hello’ or ‘good morning’ when encountering someone. If visiting someone’s home, a small gift for the host will be highly appreciated. When it comes to eating, it’s considered polite to try everything you’re offered and eating more will be taken as a sign of enjoyment. The practice of chewing and spitting out the red juice of the betelnut is commonplace amongst locals.
Traditional Palauan society follows a complex matrilineal system that is still at play when it comes to rites of passage such as death, birth and marriages. The people are now amongst the most enterprising in the region, though a version of traditional beliefs – Modekngei – exists alongside the imported Christian beliefs. The political system is modelled on that of the USA, and Western culture is being assimilated - not least because of the many Palauans who continue their education abroad. However the traditional government still wields a lot of influence.
Language in Palau
Palau has two official languages – Palauan and English. The majority of residents speak both without difficulty. With around a third of the population consisting of migrants from the Philippines and their descendants, Tagalog is the fourth most-spoken language. Amongst older Palauans, Japanese is also spoken.