ABSTRACT
This chapter examines Belau's political activity outside of, yet not removed from, clan relations and siukang by focusing primarily on the spheres of women's organizations, elections, and US military proposals. It concentrates more on "listening" to what Gabriela had to say to Cita and the author about "women" and "politics" and her own life experiences during the era of the US administration of Belau. Gabriela's focus on writing women into Koror's constitution to ensure there was a place for them in politics demonstrated how acutely aware she has been of the shifting and complicated meanings of "tradition" and how skilled she has become in using newly created paths, such as the written word and law, to give shape to her own conceptions of traditions. The chapter shifts focus from why men might have "placed" women outside of politics to how Gabriela characterized women in electoral and national politics.
