Dalipebinaw

Dalipebinaw is a municipality on the island of Marbaa' (Yap) in Yap State of the Federated States of Micronesia.

Alternative spellings include Dalipebinau and Dalipeebinaew.

Villages

Dalipebinaw consists of a group of villages including Aringel, Binaw, Fedor, Gaanipan, Kanif, Magaf, Tagegin, and Yaboch.

These villages form a contiguous settlement cluster, with relationships structured through landholding, rank, and inter-village connections.

Population

The 2010 FSM Census reported a population of 397. Earlier survey data from 1966 recorded a population of 321 across Dalipebinaw villages.

Yapese is the primary language. Religious affiliation is predominantly Roman Catholic, with a minority of Protestants.

Village structure

Dalipebinaw is organized through the Tabinaw system of landholding and rank. Villages within the municipality span a range of caste and class positions, including higher-ranking villages such as Kanif and Magaf, and lower-ranked villages such as Gaanipan and Binaw.

Village rank corresponds to the relative standing of landholding estates and is expressed through caste and class designations. These rankings structure relationships among villages, including coordination, land use, and obligations tied to estate position.

Village size and landholding vary across the municipality. Mid-20th century survey data show significant differences in acreage and population, with villages such as Kanif and Aringel supporting larger populations, while smaller villages such as Binaw and Gaanipan occupy more limited land areas.

Settlement and infrastructure

Settlement in Dalipebinaw remains distributed across individual village sites rather than concentrated in a central location. Infrastructure is organized through localized facilities, including village-level institutions and nearby schools serving clusters of villages.

Water supply and related systems are typically developed at the village scale, including spring-fed and rain catchment systems adapted to local terrain and water availability.

Administration

During the Spanish Period (1521-1899), German Period (1899-1914), Japanese Period (1914-1941), and TTPI Period (1947-1979), Dalipebinaw formed part of successive administrative districts centered on Yap.

Today, Dalipebinaw is one of the municipalities of Yap State. Traditional authority is represented through the Council of Pilung, which reviews legislation affecting custom and tradition.

Dalipebinaw is represented in the FSM Congress by the Yap at-large senator and the Yap population-based district senator.

Education

Dalipebinaw falls under the Yap State Department of Education and is part of the Waab Zone.