Two Lovers and how the egg-laying cycle of turtles was discovered, a story from the Republic of Palau
A young man from Peleliu fell in love with a maiden from Ngerkebesang. She also loved him. But they lived on islands far apart, and their families did not approve of their love for each other. The young couple agreed that one night each month during the safe darkness of a new moon they would sail their outriggers to the Ngemelis, a tiny island located midway between their homes. In the darkness of the moonless night, they talked and touched until the first blush of dawn. Quickly the young woman gathered her mat and her paddle to sail back home, but no matter how carefully she searched, she could not find the back of her grass skirt. She had left it on the sandy beach, but all she could find was a few strands next to the footprints of a turtle. Finally she made a new skirt from coconut fronds and hurried to her canoe. As she waved farewell to her lover, he cried out to her, “I cannot wait a whole month; let us meet again soon, when the moon is full”. On the appointed day, both lovers impatiently waited for night so they could secretly begin their long paddle before the rising of the moon. First the young man arrived and then the young woman. No sooner had she stepped onto the beach than her lover held her in his arms. But their embrace was suddenly ended as they both heard something else coming onto the shore. They laughed with relief as they realized the large, dark figure was a turtle crawling toward them. But what they saw next surprised them even more. On the turtle’s front fin was entangled the maiden’s grass skirt, the very same skirt she lost the night of the new moon. As the two young people quietly watched, the mother turtle scraped a deep hole and laid egg after egg, each one round and white like a full moon. Nearly fifty eggs filled the sandy nest before the mother turtle covered them with sand, rested, and then slowly crawled backthrough the bubbling surf into the dark sea. Thus, the people of Palau learned during which season of the year to watch for turtles to return to the very beaches where they once hatched.
Charcoal and Acrylic paint on paper
Please note: frames are not included
18”×24”
A young man from Peleliu fell in love with a maiden from Ngerkebesang. She also loved him. But they lived on islands far apart, and their families did not approve of their love for each other. The young couple agreed that one night each month during the safe darkness of a new moon they would sail their outriggers to the Ngemelis, a tiny island located midway between their homes. In the darkness of the moonless night, they talked and touched until the first blush of dawn. Quickly the young woman gathered her mat and her paddle to sail back home, but no matter how carefully she searched, she could not find the back of her grass skirt. She had left it on the sandy beach, but all she could find was a few strands next to the footprints of a turtle. Finally she made a new skirt from coconut fronds and hurried to her canoe. As she waved farewell to her lover, he cried out to her, “I cannot wait a whole month; let us meet again soon, when the moon is full”. On the appointed day, both lovers impatiently waited for night so they could secretly begin their long paddle before the rising of the moon. First the young man arrived and then the young woman. No sooner had she stepped onto the beach than her lover held her in his arms. But their embrace was suddenly ended as they both heard something else coming onto the shore. They laughed with relief as they realized the large, dark figure was a turtle crawling toward them. But what they saw next surprised them even more. On the turtle’s front fin was entangled the maiden’s grass skirt, the very same skirt she lost the night of the new moon. As the two young people quietly watched, the mother turtle scraped a deep hole and laid egg after egg, each one round and white like a full moon. Nearly fifty eggs filled the sandy nest before the mother turtle covered them with sand, rested, and then slowly crawled backthrough the bubbling surf into the dark sea. Thus, the people of Palau learned during which season of the year to watch for turtles to return to the very beaches where they once hatched.
Charcoal and Acrylic paint on paper
Please note: frames are not included
18”×24”