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> It's like eating reboiled (starchy) food. Cooked taro will spoil in time, unless it is reboiled (blelekl). Among other applications the saying may pertain to a man who marries, separates, then returns to the same woman; also a man who returns to a former job. |
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> Firebrand politics extinguished with water. In a sense this is a response to "Fire brand politics," but it appears to be a fully developed technique none the less. It involves responding to anger with quiet calm and kind words. If it has a character of its own it would be called compromise. Buying the opponent off is approved. J. Useem names this strategy, but was perhaps unaware of the wider significance, For him the phrase pertained to "a small time official who use his authority for his own benefit but shrewdly avoids being detected by superiors." I think that most Palauan political leaders would agree that any political tactitian,knowingly using the strategy of his training, would expect to accomplish as much. |
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> He's like Ngerechebal Island, which is neither closer to Imeliik nor closer to Ngerekebesang. i.e. He's indecisive or not clearly taking sides. A person who is "on the fence," changeable and indecisive. The saying may also be applied to a partly westernized Palauan. |
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> Like the heart of the halfbeak, straight. The halfbeak, a small fish (bolobel), is regarded as one who follows his fancy or heart, doing as he pleases. The idiom is applied to persons who are easy-going, sleeping when the mood calls for it, undisturbed by the behavior or opinion of others. |
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> Like eastern showers from white clouds, still the raincoat is ripped During the months of the east wind, During the months of the east wind, roughly January through June, rain often comes from innocent-looking white cloud and is accompanied by brief gusts of wind strong enough to tear the traditional betel-nut-spathe raincoat; hence, an opponent whose strength is greater than anticipated. |
