Council of Pilung
The Council of Pilung
(also known as the “Council of Ranking Men and Estates” or the “Council of Seven”)
The Council of Pilung is a traditional political institution on the island of Yap, composed of chiefs who exercise defined authority within a culturally embedded framework. Leadership in Yap rests not in a single individual, but in a collective of chiefs who balance and share power. Each paramount chief, supported by village chiefs and estate representatives, participates in this decentralized governance structure. This system reflects a deeply held Yapese resistance to foreign and centralized control.
The Council (along with the Council of Tamol) constitutes a formal "fourth branch" of Yap State's Government. However, the Chiefs not only have authority over all issues relating to culture and tradition, they also have the unique authority to interpret and define what is considered tradition. As such, their status as a branch of government can be antithetical to the separation of powers. In practice, the chiefs' authority -or the power of cultural norms they represent- are internalized to such a degree across Yap that the Council rarely needs to directly exercise its powers relative to the three other branches.
Structure of Leadership
Threefold Structure of Chiefly Authority
Yap’s chiefly system is organized into a three-part structure that exists across all levels of society—from paramount chiefs to local village leaders. Each village traditionally recognizes three distinct types of chiefs (piiluung), each responsible for a separate domain of life: Chief of the Women (piiluung ko binaew / lunguun paweelwõl) represents women’s roles, responsibilities, and interests. Chief of the Young Men (piiluung ko pagäl / lunguun pagäl) oversees matters related to the mobilization and welfare of young men. Chief of the Ancestors (pilabthir ko binaew) holds spiritual authority and represents ancestral knowledge.
These three types of chiefs govern not independently but as co-equals, each embodying unique sources of knowledge and power.
Paramount Chiefs and Villages
This tripartite structure is echoed at the island-wide level through:
- The three paramount villages, each holding the highest political rank;
- Two political factions: ban piiluung (chiefs’ side) and ban pagäl (young men’s side);
- Seven foundational houses representing women’s authority (ulung somol), which historically mediated disputes.
Each paramount village is organized into two complementary units: bulce‘, associated with chiefs and women, and ulun, associated with warriors and men. Leadership is exercised through councils composed of chiefs and ranking estate members, typically forming a “Council of Seven.” This structure deliberately disperses power and decision-making authority.
Though chiefly titles pass through patrilineal inheritance, actual authority is carefully guarded and distributed. No individual holds complete knowledge or power. The intentional fragmentation of knowledge and secrecy acts as a safeguard, which Yapese claim emphasizes the values of compassion, humility, and suffering in leadership.
Local Chiefs and Village Authority
Below the paramount chiefs are estate and village-level leaders. These lesser chiefs oversee specific communal tasks. For instance, the chief of Ru‘way traditionally led cooperative fishing using the yartan technique. Certain villages, such as Arib, once held prominent religious authority, though their influence has declined over time due to shifts in leadership and emerging rivals.
The political hierarchy is maintained through alliances and reciprocal obligations between villages. These relationships reinforce dominance and subordination, while preserving the broader balance of power. Colonial regimes disrupted traditional structures. The Germans froze the ongoing warfare that allowed for upward mobility within the caste ranking system, thereby "freezing" the hitherto fluid hierarchy. During Japanese administration, for example, colonial officials often appointed younger and less legitimate men to positions of power, undermining established customs.
Contemporary Role in Governance
Today, Yap’s traditional leaders are formally recognized as a constitutionally sanctioned “Fourth Branch” of Yap State government. As noted by former FSM President John Haglelgam in Traditional Leaders and Governance in Micronesia (1998):
“In Yap, the traditional leaders have formal roles in government. The Yap State Constitution created two councils of chiefs: one for the main islands and one for the outer islands. These councils are empowered to review and disapprove acts of the legislature if they conflict with custom and tradition. The legislature cannot override such a veto but can revise and resubmit the legislation for review.”
Although rarely used in explict form, this veto authority has proven effective. The councils also monitor executive decisions, requiring the governor and cabinet to defend their policies. In this way, traditional leaders serve as cultural guardians and political watchdogs, ensuring that governance remains consistent with Yapese values and customs.
