Tekoi el ua Iuul: teaching and learning in Palau
- Georga Holly
- Mar 7
- 6 min read
Written by Chamonix Toledo, University of California Santa Cruz, with contributions from Ann Singeo, Ebiil Society, Palau, Caroline Ferguson Irlanda, Stanford University, and Kelau Singeo and Dior Imaim Ngiraboi, students in the “Decolonizing Environmental Social Science Research” class.
“Like the waves of the ocean, all knowledge comes in different sizes and shapes, but never does one wave overcome another, and in the end all will arrive at the same destination.”
After a long week of school, students from high schools across Palau pack overnight bags and gather at a local meeting spot in town. Palau (traditionally Belau) is a group of islands southeast of the Philippines, in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania. Palau is made up of approximately 340 islets, islands, and atolls, and has some of the highest levels of marine and terrestrial biodiversity in the region. Guided by traditional knowledge and a deep connection with nature, the communities of Palau have stewarded their lands and oceans since time immemorial.
Unlike most teenagers heading off for typical weekend plans, these students are preparing for a unique excursion. They are not just embarking on a leisurely trip; they are assembling as young researchers, ready to lead the charge in environmental research for their communities and their island.
This group of students is part of a one-of-a-kind class, “Decolonizing Environmental Social Science Research.” Co-designed by Ann Singeo, the founder of the grassroots non-profit Ebiil Society, and Caroline Ferguson Irlanda, a researcher from Stanford University, this course aims to reconnect Palauan youth, primarily girls, with their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and the pressing environmental issues their communities face. Launched four years ago, the class is not only a step toward training the next generation of researchers but also a vital bridge for intergenerational knowledge-sharing that has been interrupted by colonisation.
Students doing activities as part of the Decolonizing Environmental Social Science Research class. © Chamonix Toledo
This year's course is guided by Ann, Caroline and Chamonix Toledo, a Coastal Science and Policy Master’s student from University of California, Santa Cruz. Together, they bring diverse experiences and perspectives, supporting students as they develop research skills that will serve their personal and professional journeys. As mentors, they also encourage students to delve into their own lineages and uncover family oral histories, creating a profound connection between past and present.
For too long, ocean research and conservation efforts have been dominated by international actors, often operating with predefined missions and methodologies that marginalise or ignore local customs and practices.
Indigenous communities, when involved, are frequently overshadowed by external agendas. Furthermore, Pacifika youth—despite being deeply impacted by climate change—are vastly underrepresented in research opportunities and excluded from climate policy discussions that shape their future.
The “Decolonizing Environmental Social Science Research” course is changing this dynamic. By equipping Palauan high school students with research tools and skills in environmental science and community-led inquiry, it prepares them to participate meaningfully in ocean leadership. Beyond scientific research, students in the course are supported in pursuing other ventures that build self confidence and accountability for themselves and others. Students are mentored through public speaking at local events and international conferences, obtaining SCUBA certifications, and uncovering the next steps in their academic journeys, including applying for university. The result is a new generation of researchers who embody true strength, leadership, and a deep commitment to their communities and islands.
For Kelau Singeo, a young researcher who has been part of the program for three years, the experience has been transformative. “Being a young woman researcher conducting research in my community to benefit the people has been an eye-opening experience, to say the least,” she shares. “This class has broken barriers and given me opportunities to accomplish amazing work that I would not have been able to do otherwise. I continue to do this work to help preserve our island as the beautiful home I know it to be, ensuring that future generations can do the same. Most importantly, I continue to do this work and take this class so that little girls watching may know that being a girl and being young should never stop you from doing what you believe in and accomplishing your dreams.”
Dior Imaim Ngiraboi, another student, echoes this sentiment: “Being given the opportunity to participate in a research class like this is such a privilege. Not only am I able to learn more about cultural fisheries but also about traditional women’s fisheries and the role they play in our lives. By gaining this knowledge, we can prolong the practice of these traditions and keep them alive. I enjoy researching these topics because I am so in awe of my unique culture. Along with that, I want to share this knowledge with the generation after me so that my culture will continue to prevail long after I depart.”
Decolonizing Environmental Social Science Research is creating a new generation of researchers who embody true strength, leadership, and a deep commitment to their communities and islands. © Chamonix Toledo
Practicing Reciprocity
Building on almost a decade of research and partnership in Palau, the nature of Caroline Ferguson Irlanda’s work has evolved to uplift a community-centered, culturally contextualized, decolonial approach.
Caroline explains: “When I came to Palau to conduct research for my PhD, I was coming very much from a colonial mindset, thinking that I would answer questions about the ocean no one had answers to and identify conservation solutions no one had tried. I was very quickly humbled by the immense knowledge held here, then angered by the lack of acknowledgement of it by my peers in academic and non-profit spaces. I was also challenged to view conservation and the natural world through a more holistic lens, with people as integral members of the ecology of the place and as stewards of it. Ann has been a patient and generous teacher to me and to so many others about Palauan culture, values, and environments. Together, we created this class to begin to bridge the gap between academic research and local knowledge, training Palauan youth in social science while connecting them with knowledge holders in their own communities and uplifting those voices in on-island and international conversations about environmental stewardship, use, and protection.”
Chamonix Toledo has worked for over five years with the communities of Ulithi Atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia, co-developing research initiatives and working closely with Ulithian youth. In 2024, Chamonix was invited by Ann and Caroline to co-teach the “Decolonizing Environmental Social Science Research” course and support the students in their newest research venture surrounding traditional fisheries and fishing methods.
“When I met with Ann and Caroline, I knew this was going to be a dream collaboration. Early on in my career, I was introduced to collaborative research, community-based conservation, and co-designed research. Seeing actionable and people-first research humanised science, demonstrating that intentional work can have real impact on the resilience of ocean-dependent people. Exposure to traditional ecological knowledge and cultural practices in coastal communities deepened my passion as I recognized that research can be authentically elevated by local histories, knowledge systems, and cultures. Interdisciplinary, innovative, solutions-oriented approaches are what originally drew me to the scientific field, but what really solidified my passions were the friendships I built with youth in Ulithi. Ever since, I’ve been consistently guided by the belief that the future of our oceans is reliant on the relationships that we build and the trust that we have in each other. I’m so excited to extend my heart to the youth in Palau and learn alongside these incredible students. It is such a privilege to be able to work and learn with other young people, knowing that the relationships and values we build together can be carried forward throughout our lives to protect the ocean.”
Leading The Change
The students in the “Decolonizing Environmental Social Science Research” course are already leaving a lasting mark. To date, they have authored two books: one on the “Mesekiu” (Palauan dugong) and another on Palau’s agroforestry practices, including detailed accounts of land care, food cultivation, and community relationships. Their third book is currently in progress, featuring interviews with fishers across Palau and documenting traditional fisheries and fishing methods.
These young researchers are making a significant step towards a more equitable research landscape. Through their work, they are demonstrating that local knowledge and youth-led research can drive meaningful change, ensuring that Palau’s traditions and natural beauty endure for generations to come.
This course, research, and community would not be possible without Ann Singeo. Her passion for environmental education, Palauan traditional knowledge and customs, and youth-centered work has proven vital for inspiring the next generation of island stewards. “Learning as a community of women young and more mature, you come to realize how the same message from an elder can move all of us in different ways. The discussions are then woven into beautiful stories of ocean people before, today, and those, as Palauans would say, 'peaking over the horizon'. This is a community of university researchers, local women fishers and researchers in the community, graduate students, and youth researchers searching and finding their own meaning of the world around them as we relate to the ocean and one another.”
To learn more about the Ebiil Society and to check out books published by the “Decolonizing Environmental Social Science Research” course visit the links below:
Link to Ebiil Society Website: https://www.ebiilsociety.org/
Link to E-Book - Mesekiu er a Belau (Dugongs of Palau): https://www.lulu.com/shop/caroline-e-ferguson-and-ann-singeo-and-ngesur-victor-and-zharika-skebong/mesekiu-er-a-belau-dugongs-of-palau/ebook/product-dkk8q2.html?q=dugong&page=1&pageSize=4
Link to E-Book - Agroforestry Belau: Land Care, Food, Relations: