Yap, Micronesia

Yap, Micronesia

Most people know Yap as “the island of Yap,” although Yap actually consists of four islands connected by a  common coral reef. Yap, part of the Federated States of Micronesia, is home to just over 6,000 people within 36 square miles who claim a world record: owners of the biggest money on Earth. This 12-foot-diameter coin is carved of stone that isn’t foung on Yap – it had to be shipped by outrigger from as far away as Papua New Guinea. Not all Yapese money is this large, but many coins are taller than a person.

This all makes me wonder – the Yapese people certainly aren’t lazy. To bring these rocks, known as Rai to Yap, carve them and roll them around the islands as they are exchanged – that takes a heck of a lot of effort. So much effort, I guess, that they didn’t have the time to devote to creating a good flag. Seriously, this one is just awful. The blue water is a little obvious for an island. Nothing embarassing in that, but overdone. The white parts, though, are way off. It’s supposed to be an outrigger canoe with sail unfurled, carrying a large Rai. That has a star in the middle. Instead, it looks like a compound miter saw with a bent wang hanging off the end. Some may tell me to shut my Yap, but that’s just how it is.