Traditional chiefs of Palau

Palauan leaders

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"Beouch", "Ngiraked", and "Reklai" redirect here. For the sprinter, see Beouch Ngirchongor. For the politician, see John Ngiraked. For the surname, see Reklai (surname).

Palau has several traditional chiefs of its 16 states.

## List of current chiefs[edit]

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

### Council of Chiefs[edit]

Sailors salute Reklai of Melekeok Raphael B. Ngirmang in 2013 Former Ibedul of Koror Yutaka Gibbons in 2013. His sister is Bilung Gloria Salii [fr] and his brother is the current Ibedul of Koror Alexander Merep. The Etpison Museum named for former President and Rekemesik of Ngatpang Ngiratkel Etpison. His brother Yukiwo is the Rengulbai of Aimeliik and his son Shallum is the Uchelsias of Ngesias in Peleliu. State  | Title  | Incumbent  | Predecessor  | Notes

|
|
|
|

Aimeliik | Rengulbai  | Yukiwo Etpison[1] |  |
Airai | Ngiraked  | Yukiwo P. Dengokl[1] |  |
Angaur | Ucherbelau  | Lorenso Edward[1] |  |
Hatohobei | Heimong  | Vacant[1] |  |
Koror | Ibedul  | Alexander Merep[2] | Yutaka Gibbons[3] | Title disputed by Bilung Gloria Salii [fr] on behalf of her son James Lebuu Littler.[4]
Kayangel | Rdechor  | Isimang Bandarii[1] |  |
Melekeok | Reklai  | Raphael B. Ngirmang[1] |  |
Ngardmau | Beouch  | Vacant[1] |  |
Ngatpang | Rekemesik  | Surangel S. Whipps[1] | Ngiratkel Etpison[5] | Title disputed by Uchelsias Shallum Etpison, son of Ngiratkel Etpison.[6]
Ngchesar | Ngirakebou  | Roman Bedor[1] |  |
Ngaraard | Maderngebuked  | Thomas Remengesau Jr.[7] | Thomas Remengesau Sr.[1] |
Ngerchelong | Uongerchetei  | Victor Joseph[1] |  |
Ngeremlengui | Ngirturong  | Yamakazaki Rengiil[1] |  |
Ngiwal | Uongruious  | Paulus Wong[1] |  |
Peleliu | Obak  | Isao Singeo[1] |  |
Sonsorol | Nurap  | Nicholas Aquino[1] |  |

### Other chiefs[edit]

Chief of  | Title  | Incumbent  | Predecessor

|
|
|

All Palauan women[3] | Bilung  | Gloria Salii [fr][3] |
Ngesias in Peleliu[6] | Uchelsias  | Shallum Etpison[6] | Yukiwo Shmull[6]

## Ibedul[edit]

Ibedul is a title given to the high chief of Koror, in Palau who is also the head of the Idid clan.[8][9] Koror is the largest and most populated state with approximately 64% of Palauans living there as of 2020 and so historically bearers of the title were erroneously referred to as "Kings of Pelew" despite them not having authority over all of modern-day Palau.[10][11]

### List of known Ibeduls[edit]

Name | Portrait | Birth | Notes | Death

|
|
|
|

Abba Thulle[12]
fl. 1783 |  |  | Abba Thulle's second son Prince Lee Boo became one of the first people from the Pacific Islands to visit Great Britain, but died six months after he departed.[13] |
Ilengelekei[14]
1871

1911
(39–40) |  |  |  | 1911
Louch[14]
1911

1917
(5–6) |  |  |  | 1917
Tem[14]
1917

1943
(25–26) |  |  | In 1924, a dispute between Ibedul Tem and the Tucherur, head of the Terekieu clan, resulted in the Idid clan dispossessing the Terekieu clan's lands and many members of Terekieu clan fleeing to Aimeliik.[9] Tem took the title of Tucherur for himself.[9] | 1943
Mariur[14]
1943

1958
(14–15) |  |  |  | 1958
Ngoriakl[14]
1958

1972
(13–14) |  |  | Ngoriakl died in 1972 and his body arrived in Palau on September 30, 1972 where funeral ceremonies took place in which Thomas Remengesau delivered the eulogy.[15] Takeo Ishida, Chief of Japanese Graves Mission, posthumously honoured the Ibedul by giving him the Fourth Class Order of the Sacred Treasure which was presented to his widow in October 1972.[15] | 1972
Yutaka Gibbons[14]
1973

4 November 2021
(47–48)  |  | 17 January 1944 | Gibbons worked as a United States Army cook before becoming Ibedul and was a anti–nuclear weapons activist.[3] He won the Right Livelihood Award in 1983 and ran for president in the 1984, 1988 and 1996 Palauan general election.[16] | 4 November 2021
Aged 77
Alexander Merep[2]
February 22, 2022

present
(1 year, 312 days) |  |  | Merep is the youngest brother of Gibbons and previousy held the title Rechucher-Ra-Techekii before being appointed by female Idid members led by Ochob Katey Ngiraked as the new Ibedul.[2] The appointment was accepted by the Ngarameketii (traditional chiefs of Koror) on February 22, 2022 and supported by the Koror hamlet chiefs.[2] | Living

## References[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Traditional chiefs of Palau.

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Council of Chiefs – PalauGov.pw". PalauGov.pw. Archived from the original on March 18, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
2. ^ a b c d Reklai, Leilani (February 25, 2022). "Ngarameketii accepts Merep as Ibedul". Island Times. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
3. ^ a b c d "A Former U.S. Army Cook, Now Ruler in. Western Pacific Islands: Leads Foes of Military Bases There". The New York Times. 14 January 1979. Archived from the original on December 29, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
4. ^ Times, Island (May 17, 2022). "Bilung claims Ibedul is highest title in Palau, rejects Alex as Ibedul". Island Times.
5. ^ "Honolulu Star-Bulletin 05 Aug 1997, page 2". Newspapers.com. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
6. ^ a b c d Times, Island (December 21, 2018). "Shallum becomes Uchelsias of Peleliu". Island Times. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
7. ^ "In Palau, working for 'the next generation, and the next, and the next'". Global Environment Facility. March 13, 2023. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
8. ^ Leibowitz, Arnold H. (1996). Embattled Island: Palau's Struggle for Independence. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 103\. ISBN 978-0-275-95390-4. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
9. ^ a b c "Ngaremeketii/Rubekul Kldeu, Terekieu Clan and Jonathan Ngiremekur Sked, represented by Miriam Kual Appellants vs. Koror State Public Lands Authority, Appellee" (PDF). www.palausupremecourt.net. December 5, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
10. ^ "Palau - 2020 - III.B. Overview of the State". mchb.tvisdata.hrsa.gov. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
11. ^ "Abba Thulle, King of Pelew". www.loc.gov. December 30, 1788. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
12. ^ "Capt Henry Wilson". The British Museum. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
13. ^ Keate, George. The Interesting History of Prince Lee Boo, Brought to England from the Pelew Islands. Library of Congress. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
14. ^ a b c d e f Nero, Karen Louise (1987). A cherechar a lokelii: Beads of history of Koror, Palau, 1783-1983 - ProQuest. University of California, Berkeley ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
15. ^ a b "Funeral Ceremonies For Chief Ibedul Ngoriakl. Ibedul's Widow Receives Japanese Medal - Reel 2216". libweb.hawaii.edu. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
16. ^ "High Chief Ibedul Gibbons / The People of Belau". Right Livelihood. Archived from the original on December 29, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2021.

*[fl.]: floruit ('flourished' – known to have been active at a particular time or during a particular period)