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Working Session: Law and Custom in Micronesia The daylong session was marked by an intense interdisciplinary discussion between anthropologists, lawyers and theologians of diverse ethnic backgrounds. We especially benefitted from the presence and engaged participation of three Micronesians, Ben Enlet, attorney at law in the FSM and his son Joe, a graduate student at Multnomah University and Zag Puas, attorney at law in the FSM and currently a PhD candidate at ANU in political science on the one hand and the first Chief Justice to the FSM, Edward King, on the other hand. King had been most instrumental and influential in the challenging task of accommodating US transplanted or received law into the context of the various Micronesian island states of Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae with varying traditions and sets of values that at some points might conflict with the constitution of the FSM. Unfortunately Scott Garvey, Attorney General of Pohnpei State, and Madolenihm Municipal Justice Walberg Hadley had to cancel their participation at short notice, as did Marston Morgan. Yuping Chen’s paper was read in absentia. Shingo Iitaka of Japan was unable to attend but is planning to participate in 2013. Two more papers are anticipated for next year’s session representing the Marshall Islands, one by a Marshallese lawyer and the other by an anthropologist and we are seeking further engagement and responses to our papers by attorneys and judges in Micronesia. Our special thanks go to the ASAO Board and the donors to the PISF, which generously provided support towards transportation and accommodation of our Micronesian participants. The session participants decided to move ahead to a symposium next year and are expecting more contributions from Micronesia. Manuel Rauchholz, University of Heidelberg, Institute for Ethnology, Sandgasse 7, 69117 Heidelberg, GERMANY; rauchholz@eth.uni-heidelberg.de |
