Storyboard Art Carving Palau, Wooden, Meduu Ribtal, Breadfruit Tree, Fish, Bai  

Carving is an ancient tradition on Palau, which is adapted by the islanders to record their own traditions. The stores that are told on the Palau storyboards are usually old Palauan Legends or alternatively Legends from different islands especially Yap, Federated States of Micronesia.

This storyboard is based on the Palauan Legend of Meduu Ribtal (The Breadfruit Story). According to ancient Palauan Legends, Demigods traveled from village to village and performed amazing feats to teach people valuable lessons.

On the northeast coast of Palau’s largest island, Babeldaob, are the remains of an ancient sunken village, called Ngibtal. It’s stone pathways and dwelling platforms can be seen just beneath the clear ocean waters.

According to legend, the female Demigod, Dirachedesbsungel, spent her working life teaching the women of Palau how to grow Taro and use it for cooking. After many years of selfless service she settled down as an Old Woman in Ngibtal. She wanted nothing more than to rest and to be treated with respect.

Dirachedesbsungel had a son, another Demigod, named Dirrachedesbsungel, who traveled constantly. No one knew for sure where or when he would appear, for he was the teacher of natural childbirth. Until Dirrachedebsungel taught the women of Palau about natural childbirth, the stomachs of pregnant women were cut open to remove their babies. Most of these women died from the procedures.

And so the Old Women lived alone in the village. Each day she would watch as the local fishermen returned with their bountiful catch of her favorite fresh fish. But despite her many years of service to the community, no one offered her any of the fish or any other assistance. Although surrounded by villagers, the Old Woman was alone, hungry and miserable.

Finally after a very long absence, her son, Dirrachedebsungel, came to visit. He felt remorse and sadness when he observed his mother’s pitiful state, knowing that she went hungry most days. So the son found a huge, hollow breadfruit tree near the water’s edge in his mother’s yard, and broke off a branch. From that moment, with every surge of the ocean, fresh fish were driven up the tree and out of its hollow trunk to the waiting arms of his mother. Now his mother had fresh fish to eat every day.

But the villagers, seeing the Old Woman’s good fortune, grew jealous and wanted to take her abundance of fish for themselves, without having to cast their nets at sea.

So one day a boisterous group of young men entered the Old Woman’s yard and cut down the magic tree. Immediately the ocean rose up through the remaining hollow stump and flooded the entire village of Ngibtal. All of the villagers drowned – except the Old Woman who survived and moved to another village. There she assumed another title and name, and was treated with respect and dignity for her remaining years.

This storyboard depicts the Breadfruit Tree on the left, with fish traveling through the hollow branches, numerous fresh fish being cast up into the air, the Old Woman standing below the Breadfruit Tree catching the fish in a large basket, and a Bai (Palauan meeting house) on the right side.

This previously owned Storyboard is in Very Good condition. The Storyboard measures 10” x 24”, irregular shape.

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