THE REAL VALUE OF CURRENCY

Island of Yap in the Pacific Ocean:

lost among other thousands dispersed

in the archipelago of the Micronesia;

nothing is there; well yes, there is the sky,

the jungle, the sea (is full of stingrays)

their livelihood consists in fishing them;

is a brave people of daring navigators

in small canoes made of rushes tied

and they orient according to the stars.

They greatly value their ancient traditions

-we will see its economic importance-

that are transmitted across generations

by shamans whose only mission is

to keep always alive a "sacred flame"

taking care of the myths not to forget

repeating telling to everyone this rare story:

Some centuries ago a yapense chief

decided why not becoming rich?,

but there was nothing there to that effect

-I mean apart from what has been said-

that being so common they did not appreciate.

He was told that on a remote island

called "Truk" distant about two weeks

of sailing threatened with a variety of typhoons,

storms and heavy swell lashing the boats

there were enormous stones scattered throughout

of a material that could be easily carved

("aragonite" in geology is called).

And thus risking their lives on various trips

little by little they brought six thousand rocks

(some of them weighted about a couple tons)

carved them out producing circle shapes

and through the center bored an open hole 

so that by introducing there a stick

could be moved around the enormous mass

about the perimeter, as a gigantic wheel.

The task achieved was worthy of the Titans,

so a big value was rightly attached to it,

and the participants in the great enterprise

were granted a cuantity of stones

proportionate in number and in size

according to the merit, thus gaving them

among their people: status, honors,”wealth"

for it was a good so unusual for them

as gold or silver can represent to us.

They were deposited in the jungle banks

allotted each one to its proud owner,

nobody could move them readily around

-were also used to mark the edge of paths-

and so the jungle became a watched over “bank";

with a big plus: not subject to inflation;

as nobody can easily a large stone create

out of the blue as in "bank-money" occurs:

“he who wants fish then risk the bottom wet”;

go and repeat the ancestors so brave feat.

Gradually, over the span of time

such a wealth in the hands of a few

was being distributed: if one married a daughter

that means to give as dowry a large stone,

and with medium one to acquire a hut

paying the "architect" with any there small ...

Now everyone to some extent has some

from the six thousand of the jungle bank;

to give a relative idea in order to compare,

the chief tycoon has twenty of varying size,

what makes him see the future in cheerful mood

if he does not by the way the island quit...

as there is where is solely recognized

that kind of money (otherwise behemoths)

based on a maintained reputation

renewed by shamans conveying the story

of the heroic deeds of the ancient folks

who crossed the sea venturing into the unknown

and thus endowed matter of economic value

morally-based as they risked their lives-

the massive stones are then transformed in totems-

coated of myth and culture that is allways refreshed

as ”yapense values” in all the possible meanings of the term.

I almost forgot: the stones are worth so much

that are not useful to be handled in dealings,

let us say to buy a fish (even when it is a stingray)

nor the firewood for the bonfire to cook;

such trifles are at a different scale

of value in a mind & matter sense

(if the economic from personal derives).

Required for carrying out such tasks

is something that can be used in change

that is lightweight and not a heavy block

fractionable, portable and "cheap";

for such petty details they use the dollars

“scraps of paper" that "Uncle Sam" supports,

but their precious "pietro-dollars" never touch.

© albertotrocóniz / 13

Text from: “AS I SEE IT”

Image: "Yapensa Pensierosa about the Money"

Image from: "PHOTOFILTERED"

Other Links Related to this Post:

VERDADERO VALOR DE LA MONEDA

A HYPOTHESIS FOR THE "MOAIS": MERE COINS?

I propose a hypothesis to be verified

by scholars and the learned ones

in ocean themes and in island matters:

those of Easter, of Yap and the Marquesas.

Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean

with their strange and much disturbing totems:

that are the "moai”, shapes in stone carved

with the mystery of what could be their origin ...

... and the Island Yap in the Ocean Pacific

distant from the other about three thousand miles;

where its ingenious system of finance

caused sensation throughout French Polynesia;

that they "invented" to create their richness:

massive stones brought from very far away

defying typhoons in canoes rather faint

which gave to the adventure enormous merit

and thus commercial value was derived

-because of the difficulty of getting them-

from that other intangible value​​: bravery

that those sailors exhibited so well.

Is also known that some of these tribes

-inhabitants of the Marquesas Islands-

went to the sea, to the fearful ocean,

only guided by necessity and the stars.

Matches the legend that tells about how clans

rivals for power in the nation of "Heva"

make bloody wars between each other

finally expelling the losers from the land;

those must leave for other territories

of course by sea -no alternative was left-

amidst typhoons, great perils, risks and dangers

beyond the known, to the infinite horizon.

Undoubtedly many of them died in the attempt

after sailing the immensities of waters

(the Pacific Ocean amounts aprox to a third

of the entire surface of our blue Earth planet).

Today there are signs that thousand years ago

a bunch of these brave seafarers

led by a chief (named “Atu Matuna”)

reached "Rapa Nui”, that is the Easter Island.

and thus was brought to that lone territory

some of the goods of their civilization;

valuable things, foremost are to be mentioned:

their blood, sweet potatoes and the currency.

The blood: that now with modern DNA testing

taken from the old ladies and the old men

in both places so distant from each other

their connection convincingly demonstrates.

Sweet potato: a fruit that was indigenous

and it can never (as a coconut would)

float for months, it must be embarked;

reached Easter Island, then later went to America ...

The currency: -and here comes my thesis-

was here also made in the resemblance

of huge yapense stones of happy memory

and of so good result in Micronesia economy.

Are perhaps those so mysterious shapes

called "moai" -huge faces in carved stone

characteristic of the Easter Island-

a mere transcript of their financial values?;

Maybe these people devoid of gold and silver

sought valuable things by other means:

in the rarity and worth of somewhat

difficult to obtain; those "behemoths” perhaps?

… giving them faces, as we do also

in printed banknotes and in minted coins;

so they carved here the volcanic tuff

transporting finally their enormous weights.

There is no doubt, the thing has a great merit,

and it is not within the reach of a nobody

that can easily print hitting a button

(so money inflation therefore is kept away);

if anyone wants fish go and get wet;

reach the volcano and choose some block

of a size according to the greed,

scrub it tastefully and haul it afterwards

for a long way to take it to the "bank"

(here terraced fields facing the ocean);

nobody could make any embezzlement ever

stealing them because of their large weight.

With such a wealth ... if you marry a daughter

give her a dowry with a large sized face,

with a medium one she can acquire a hut

and pay with any small the "architect".

Everyone there to some extent had some

deposited in bank of hundreds in the banks,

which today represents an attraction for tourism,

thus the capital accumulated by the ancestors

leaves substantial revenue as interest today.

© albertotrocóniz / 13

Text from: "AS I SEE IT"

Image from: "PHOTOFILTERED"

Other Links Related to this Post:

UNA HIPÓTESIS DE LOS “MOAIS”: ¿MONEDAS?

LIFE IN THE “SPIRITS”

Waters of Trafalgar, the twenty first

of the month of October, eighteen five;

in the bilge of the ship HMS Victory
the pride of english navy, the admiral

Horatio Nelson lies at his death's bed;

wounded by musket bullet in the column

resists in agony until the hour comes

to ear the news of victory obtained

over the enemy: the Franco-Hispanic fleet;

already he may die, but somewhat worried

to Captain Hardy says in a hoarse voice:

"don´t throw me to the sea, into its waters

(me who gave to so many there a home)

I don´t want to be eaten by the fishes,

take me to our homeland, back to England

and under its mild earth give me a grave;

and now farewell, kiss me good friend,

tell me goodnight and towards home! "

-so said the admiral expiring-

old chap Hardy must meet good word

but there's a long journey back

and to conserve the corpse seems a feat.

A possible solution is decanted

of putting him into a cask of brandy,

who branded "Napoleon" was seized

as war booty to the enemy

who celebrated victories in his name

and the Frenchies have kept it almost intact.

Within those staves can take him to obsequies

that the nation prepares for his great man;

not salty waters but rather the sweet ones

of “Eau-de-vie française" so called cognac

is the fluid that the sailor will go through

(and though in it is plunged does not flake).

But there immersed in the middle of that broth

with alcohol & temperature degrees

the body ferments and lastly the gas bursts

exploding barrel´s woods as in a thunder:

amid spirits returns the lord to those alive

(which afraid greet the mummy with much awe).

After further adventures they arrive in port

and Nelson´s offals once already dried

are coated formally with all mundane pomp

and carried in an impressive procession

(still ethylic vapors giving off),

through streets of London to cathedral St. Paul

The enemy admiral Villeneuve is a prisoner

present at funeral, and muses to himself

with irony while curling his mustache,

that good French cognac besides the musket bullet

is cause for hero Horatio´s burial taking place.

After a while the captive is released

returns to France and there is not forgiven;

living in poverty in Paris changing flats,

the "Empereur" is very very angry

as all his dreams of invading England

this inept has left them watered down;

and sends Fouche´s agents on a visit

which immediately draws to the graveyard.

Shortly Villeneuve already in heaven 

(somewhat ashamed in sailors company),

in conversation with Nelson and Gravina

and also with Churruca and Alcalá Galiano,

says to his rival, already is now a mate:

"We had such paradoxes in our lives:

me so much time employed in his service

and mercilessly decided to drop me

and you who were his bitter enemy

good "Napoleon" has thee so well preserved!”.

© albertotrocóniz / 12

Text: from “SHORT STORIES"

Image: "Naval Battle" from "PHOTOPAINTING”

Links in Spanish Related to this Post:

VIDA EN EL "ESPÍRITU"