A Little More Than Pocket Change
Stone money, or Rai as they call it in Yapese, has been used on the island of Yap for centuries. Stone money is characterized as a large stone disc measuring up to 12 feet in diameter. The discs are made of shimmering limestone not indigenous to Yap; thus, the stone must be shipped from neighboring islands and travel up to 300 miles back to the island of Yap.
How rai gets its valueThe size, texture, and quality of the stone are important, but what adds the most value is the journey that the stone endured to get to the island. If the stone money was transported during a storm or involved deaths during transport, this increases the value of the stone money.
Stone Money UsesAlthough the island of Yap primarily uses the US dollar as currency, stone money is used for large transactions, such as the payment of a dowry or land purchase.
|
Stone Money BanksStone money is not usually traded, for obvious reasons. Once the money is given to a new owner, the money is either kept in one spot or is put in a “Stone Money Bank.” Weighing up to a thousand pounds, moving an individual Rai piece could require up to 400 men.
|