The men’s houses, women’s houses and meeting houses of Yap are a marvel. Dozens are still in use. Many are historic but many are still being built today using traditional materials and construction. While we were visiting Lamotrek Island, a baby girl was born in the Women’s House, surrounded by love and caring. It seemed like most of the women in the entire island were there, especially in the mornings, making communal food for the young woman and her family and helping to care for the new babe.
Men’s houses are a meeting place for village leaders, a work shop for the building of outrigger canoes and and elaborate fish traps and a place for men and older boys to spend their free time. They are beautiful structures, built with high peaked roofs, set on imposing stone platforms and usually surrounded by stone money.
Wide stone foot paths, raised up from the surrounding land for good drainage, connect all of the villages. Many paths are still in good condition and we loved walking on them through the jungle, usually ending at yet another beautiful Meeting House.
