Outer Islands of Yap State: Ifalik Atoll
Bernard, Samson Hasugulur and Peter Youngrelit with a carving of the “Phallus of Maur”; this refers to an old story about an Ifalik chief, named Moch (or Maur) who lived on Woleai, 60 kilometres west of Ifalik and was married there. He was beaten and left for dead by men who objected to his marriage. He survived and returned home, assembled a fleet of canoes and indicated by his erect penis the directions his warriors had to go to exact vengeance by killing everyone on Woleai except a few who had been chosen to be spared. Another group went to Lamotrek. After the chief's death the people carved a large figure of his phallus and placed it in front of the men's big house, where it was prayed to for protection. It was destroyed by Christian converts, but a smaller version has been placed here.
Photo by Ludo Kuipers, Sat May 12, 1990