Marshall Islands

Sandi had recently returned from a year of teaching first grade in the Marshall Islands when I roomed with her during my second to last year of college. Somehow I had pictured those islands like Hawaii, large and mountainous, but Sandi explained that they are atolls, the last remnants of sinking volcanos, and therefore flat, small and, on Ebeye where she taught, able to be seen from all sides in a forty-five minute stroll.

It has been eighteen years since I last saw Sandi, but she was kind enough to get on the phone with me last night and tell me stories about the thirty children who chattered happily in class, picnics drinking coconut milk, showering with salt water, soap being distributed at funerals, and the culottes she wore over her bathing suit to live up to the local modesty standards.

Sandi told me to make sure and include information in this blog on the handmade navigation charts from the Marshall Islands. I’m happy to have found this video from the Khan Academy that shows the charts and also summarizes important concerns in the islands: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/pacific-apah/micronesia-apah/v/navigation-chart-marshall-islands

Sandi isn't the only person to volunteer a year to teach the Marshallese. In Surviving Paradise: One Year on a Disappearing Island, Peter Rudiak-Gould humorously and thoughtfully describes his experiences there. Both the San Bernardino County Library and the Los Angeles County Library have Surviving Paradise. I also read the novel Missile Paradise by Ron Tanner via ebook from the Los Angeles County Library and enjoyed the story as well as getting more perspective on the culture.

Because I’m spending the week in the Marshall Islands while staying at home, I broke with tradition for the Darnell Christmas dinner this year and made the coconut fish from http://q-zine.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-marshall-islands-coconut-fish-roast.html and the macadamia nut pie from https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12087/marshall-islands-macadamia-nut-pie/. Because Andrea doesn’t usually like fish, but had some good sea bass one time, I used Chilean sea bass that I picked up at Costco. It turned out really well and brought in many compliments. Allan asked me to make more of the macadamia nut pie, so I made it again midweek.

Like many of the Pacific Islands, there are World War II stories here. Project Gutenberg has Breaking the Outer Ring: Marine Landings in the Marshall Islands by John C. Chapin: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/48898. The biggest stories however come after the war with the impact of the nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands. Kanopy has the documentaries Collateral Damage and Nuclear Savage. Another documentary, Radio Bikini, is available online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVwzhGtzDuI

I enjoyed the music and dance from the Marshall Islands including:

· A song by Eddie Enos with a video tour of the Marshall Islands: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KINFtPHF3fs

· A program of Marshall Islands traditional dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i41gwMShqk

I have to admit that seeing all the outrigger canoes in the videos above and hearing so much about navigation this week, I rewatched Moana last night on DisneyPlus.

The Marshall Islands are famous for the diving and this site shows more things to do there: https://www.tripelle.com/guide-to-visiting-marshall-islands-and-the-best-things-to-do-there/. I look forward to that time when we can travel broadly again. In the meantime, I’m hoping we all survive, thrive, recognize our mutual humanity, learn to deal with our conflicts, and allow peace, health, and safety to flourish in the Marshall Islands and throughout the world.

Photo credit: Kurt Cotoaga https://unsplash.com/photos/FicJW813UHM