Marriage

Marriages in Paula were arranged in the past, with intermarriage among members of the high clans, but now individuals can choose their partners. To be valid, a marriage between a Palauan citizen and a noncitizen, or between two noncitizens, must meet certain legal requirements. According to the law, the male must be at least eighteen years old. Female applicants must be at least sixteen years old. If the female is sixteen or seventeen, her guardian must also give her permission to marry.

Marriage is not permitted within the clan to relatives counted through either the father or mother to four generations. Traditional ceremonies involving the exchange of prescribed foods and wealth between clans can be used to formalize marriage. Divorce is common, particularly among younger couples with fewer children, and can be initiated by either the husband or the wife. In the past, most adults married; today, there are an increasing number of single or widowed people.