PROPOSED DESIGN
About the Project
Under the Department of Integrated Learning/Creative Action, headed by Rich Shelton, professors May Sun and Cindi Alvitre were invited to team teach a class where the students learned about the cultural and political history of Palau, and about designing and creating public art monuments. In addition, artist Jeffrey Vallance served as mentor to the students because of his previous experience in Micronesia. Otis’ Department of Integrated Learning/Creative Action partners with organizations to create real world projects for the students to work on. In 2011, 2012 and 2013 the Otis team travelled to Palau where the students presented their designs to the President, the Queen and her Matriarchs, the Chiefs, the Governor of Koror, the Senators and many other members of the community, including cultural leaders. The students stayed at the dormitories at Palau Community College, and the college facilitated the public presentations. In 2011, an Otis videographer traveled with us and documented the trip and interviewed parents and families of some of the deceased veterans.
From these presentations, the students learned from the Queen and the Matriarchs that they did not want the names of the deceased veterans on the monument, that it was suf•cient that their names are recorded in the documents at City Hall. They instead wanted visual representations of the legends from each of the 16 tribes, represented by the 16 states. The students design is inspired by the ancient stone monoliths in Palau and also by the Palauan women’s money, the toluk. The legends that represent each state will be carved in stone, by local artists and artisans. Currently, Palau is known for their wood carvings. Otis’ plan is to bring a skilled stone sculptor to Palau to train the wood carvers and artisans to carve the Memorial monoliths. In the process, they will learn and pass on a new skill, a new source of income. In 2013, the travel team included Otis faculty member Rude Calderon, a highly regarded stone sculptor. He went to the local stone quarries and tested the stone, and met with the wood carvers, who were enthused with his work and eager to learn the art of carving in stone.
In addition, we made many new friends and supporters for the project in Palau, including architect and Vietnam veteran Cliff Terry, who came to all the students’ presentations and who offered to help move the project along on his end. He provided us with the suggestion of an appropriate site, at Long Island Park in Koror. A second site, a beautiful and serene area at Ngetmeduch, was also suggested by one of the senators. At the Otis students’ 2013 presentation to the President of Palau, Tommy Remengesau, he observed that the young Palauan soldiers who died were close to the students’ ages.
Support the Project
The idea of a memorial for Palauan veterans was first conceived by Andy Leeka, the Honorary Consul General to Palau and President and CEO of Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles. Andy has successfully completed many philanthropic efforts throughout Micronesia, including:
*donating a fully-equipped ambulance to both Palau and Yap
*establishing a parts replacement, technical and repair network to maintain the ambulance
*purchasing shoes for the nursing staff at Yap Memorial Hospital
*donating critical pharmaceutical drugs and imaging equipment for hospitals
*donating 127 bicycles, helmets and t-shirts to adults and children for the Palau in Motion health fair.
Andy noticed on the island of Peleliu, there are WWII memorials to the American soldiers and to the Japanese soldiers, but nothing to the local Palauans who also suffered during the war.
We are trying to reach matching funds for the project. We have a working budget that includes staff, construction and materials costs, as well as a construction timeline. We factored in budgets for maintenance and upkeep and a website that is linked to the memorial.
It seems propitious that the Palau Freedom Memorial will be able to garner the necessary funding to start the building process this year, after the passing of the 70th year of the Battle of Peleliu, one of the most wrenching battles that took place in WWII on that island that’s on the Southern tip of Palau.
Bringing the Memorial to Life
Starting from the Vietnam War, Palauans have joined the U.S. Military in disproportionately large numbers in relation to the size of their country. They have served and are still serving honorably on behalf of the United States. This freedom memorial acknowledges and honors their contribution. The memorial and its immediate surroundings also provides a sanctuary for family members and friends to come to re•ect on the lives of their deceased loved ones, to process their grief and to celebrate their heroism.
Because of its unique and beautiful design, the memorial will bring attention to a forgotten part of the world, to a tiny island nation that has seen and endured much turmoil and suffering in its participation in World War II, and through its recovery, has retained its grace and beauty both in its people and in its breathtaking landscape.
The Path Forward
It is our hope that the Palau Freedom Memorial will serve as a local landmark that Palauans will be proud of, a landmark that will also attract visitors for years to come. Through our fundraising efforts we believe this oceanside monument to honor veterans will be an inspiration to both visitors to Palau and citizens of the island alike.
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DESIGN PROCESS
Palau Freedom Memorial
The Palau Freedom Memorial is an International Public Art Project designed by students from Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, California to honor the Palauans who served and are still serving in the UNITED STATES military.
HISTORY OF PALAU
Turtle logo designed by Palauan artist Scott Weers