Scott Weers Erungel, a member of United Artists Association of Palau, made three tribal designs on shirts specifically for the fair.
“I get inspirations from different bais (or traditional Palauan meeting house) in Palau,” Erungel said in an interview. One of his designs features Palauan symbols of authority and power, another shows good fortune.
For $18 a shirt, Erungel’s shirts were almost sold out on Friday morning. Most of his customers were tourists.
“So far, I’ve already sold most of the big sizes. Now I only have small sizes,” Erungel said.
He added he has made more than 10 different designs featuring Palau’s tribal arts. A local souvenir shop sells his them.
Erungel started with just drawings and carving on woods, and a year ago, he started designing on T-shirts.
Erungels works for the Finance Office full time, helps his neighborhood kids at Ikelau stay away from underage drinking by painting murals, and advocates Palauan arts in his spare time.
