Two retired anthropology professors from Poland are in Palau on the trail of the famous Polish adventurer, naturalist, and self-taught ethnographer Johann Kubary.
Johann Kubary, a citizen of Poland and Australia but who hailed originally from Poland, spent 27 years traveling and living in Micronesian islands, Palau, Yap and Pohnpei and traveling to Papua New Guinea collecting and preserving artifacts and specimens.
Recently, seven volumes of his work were translated from German to English, giving Palauans and researchers a rich glimpse into the lives of the people on these islands in the 1800s.
Professors Dr. Hab Wojciech Beben, professor of anthropology and Dr. Aleksander Posern-Zielinski, who have been trying to research their local hero, read about him and his books via an online article published by Island Times in March of 2022.
“Because of this article, we could find out more information and come here. We are very excited to research more on the life of this extraordinary person and bring that information to our people in Poland,” expressed Dr. Posern-Zielinksi.
Both professors were quite appreciative of the warm welcome from many of Palau’s government officials and assured this was the beginning of their work and expect to be back in Palau many more times.