Matrilineal Society of the Island State of Palau.

So here we have the Palauan dollar, nominal - 2. The year of issue of this coin is 2014. Total circulation – 3.000. The coin is dedicated to the Chinese horoscope, the year of Horse.

Palauan society follows a very strict matrilineal system. Matrilineal practices are seen in nearly every aspect of Palauan traditions, especially in funeral, marriage, inheritance and the passing of traditional titles. The system probably had its origins from the Philippine archipelago, which had a similar system until the archipelago was colonized by Spain.

Reciprocity and redistribution customs carried out between clans exchange food and services for money and gifts at births, house completions, and funerals. Women are the strength of society and control land, money, and titles. Men, previously occupied as fishermen and warriors, continue their traditional tasks in the rural areas and, as an adaptation to modern society, compete for elected office and in business.

Pragmatic adaptation, persistence of wealth-exchange customs, and competition characterize Palauan society. Palauans adapted to a century of colonial intrusion - Spanish, German, Japanese, and American by viewing reality as something imposed from the outside to which one must adjust quickly if it is to be manipulated.