In a custom called Debs, the Ourot of Ngesechei or the female members of the clan have nominated the Ngirngesechei’s successor, which the Ngarmechau or the klobak group accepted. The ceremony was simple and peaceful which was attended by 90 percent of the Ngarmechau.
Leo Ruluked, Jr. was nominated by the Ourot to be the next Ngirngesechei, the First Chief and Head of Ngarmechau.
Ruluked is the oldest son of a strong female member of the Ngesechei Clan, Dirremetecherang Takako Ruluked, first cousin of the late Ngirngesechei MasaoUeda.
NGIRNGESECHEI, NGIRNGETKEBUI Hiob Bekurrow, ELECHUUS Lorenzo Pedro, IBLUUK Truman Ngirmang, BAKLIM Alfonso Llecholch, REMOKET Davis Mesubed, MADRAINGIUL Xavier Ngirameong, REKISIWANG Titus Inacio, and ILABEKESIKES Kwajelin Ngirmang were among the Ngarmechaus who were present at the Debs. NGIRAIDERBEI Gov. Masasinge Arurang was the only one absent.
The Ngarmechau unanimously accepted Junior Leo Ruluked’s appointment as their new First Chief.
According to Pia Morei, Director of Belau National Museum, the eight chiefs of Ngarmechau who were present for the Debs met with Ismael Renguul, the spokesman for the Ngesechei Clan.
“He conveyed the clan’s appointment to the chiefs. The Ngarmechau, in turn, accepted the clan’s selection and relayed their approval to the Ourot,” Morei explained.
Morei added that it is customary for Palauans to wait 100 days after the burial of the Head of the clan before the female leaders or the Ourot get together to appoint his successor.
Morei also shared that to commemorate the 100 days of Ngirngesechei Masao Ueda’s passing, the Ngesechei female clan went to Imekang by the water’s edge where they pressed under the rocks the 100 notches of rope, marking the 100 days of the Ngirngesechei’s passing as observed in the Palauan traditional calendar.
