Throughout the island valuable planting material is being lost. One way Yap might move toward greater autonomy is by relying more heavily on tourism, as its neighbors have. We consider our culture to be among the richest in the world. And that is what we will capitalize on. The influence of foreign tourists extends beyond the dollars they leave behind.
Visitors also leave ideas and information.
Figir understands the risks inherent in increased contact with other cultures. There is no Yapese man, no matter how strong his traditional roots, who is as good as a man who has knowledge of both worlds. The good and the bad Vosseller has mixed feelings about the pressure on Yap. However, these benefits have been accompanied by plenty of Budweiser, unhealthy food, U.S. movies and a magnitude of negative residue from our culture. Yap has still retained most of its traditional culture, despite economic development and the influx of U.S. culture.