Men and Women of the Marshall Islands

1
Men and Women of the Marshall Islands

• Observations
• by
• Marie Maddison

2
Introduction

• The social relations between women and men in the
  Republic of the Marshall Islands have been the
  subject of continual change. This paper examines
  how the language and the culture of the Marshall
  Islanders expresses a harmony with nature and
  that nature balances the role between the
  feminine and the masculine.
• While the traditional language and culture
  provided a balance between the gender this has
  been disrupted by many factors. Early traders
  and whalers, Christianity, government and more
  recently globalization began to disrupt the
  gender roles by bringing sources of power other
  than land which traditionally passed down through
  the women.
• Gender relations between men and women in RMI
  have long departed from the traditional language
  and culture because of these disruptions.
  However, we could take the message of balance and
  harmony in the language and culture to guide us
  in achieving equality between men and women.

3
Factors of Marshallese Society Impacting Gender
Visions

• Mother Nature or Jined ilo Kobo (Mother glues
  together and keeps the Society secured) and
• the Seal of the Marshall Islands Government
  (which indicates importance of Jined and the
  different roles of mothers and sons), and
• Balance in Nature in The RMI Motto, the Culture
• Balancing the Impact of Globalization in
• the RMI Constitution and in
• The Meto/Vision 2018

4
Definitions

• Our Mother Jined, from Jin which is the
  name of the slab upon which pandanus leaves are
  pounded for softening before woven into soft mat
  used as skirt (ed) or sleeping mat.
• Our Father Jemed, from Jem which means to
  sharpen Jemen-ei (Constitution) means his/her
  father designed it.
• Man Emaan, and maan also means first.
• Culture- Maanit comes from maan and
  nit(knowledge), which means the first
  knowledge.
• Relationship with All Men Maanid comes from
  our first which means our sons and thus men
  should be treated and respected as such.
• Relationship with All Women Jined means that
  all women are to be treated and respected as our
  mothers.

5
Definitions (cont.)

• Culture Democracy A) Irooj, traditional
  chief, comes from er-woj or those people
  meaning that without the people, there is no
  leader B) Kajur, the followers, comes from
  ka-joor or pillaring meaning that the
  people are the pillars that uphold the power of
  the leader
• Culture the Seal of the Government A) Meto,
  defines two items the sea and the navigational
  chart, that symbolize visioning and leading B)
  Wa Ook, the canoe the net each symbolizes
  unity of purpose and is a vehicle to gain
  strength and to reap benefits to the people the
  wa symbolizes men while the net symbolizes the
  women. Women invented the sail, and the sailing
  canoe symbolizes the joint effort and the
  importance of the participation of both gender
  C) Deka in Nin, pounding rock or pandanus leaves
  pounder made from giant tridacna shell,
  symbolizes motherhood as caretaker and care giver.

6
Definitions (cont.) traditional roles of women

• Kijmined Us and our mother. Kijmined is the
  beginning of a saying that defines the value of
  women in the Marshallese culture, it is followed
  by ook en, deka in nin en im wa en waan (her
  net, her pounding rock, and her canoe)
• Jined ilo Kobo Nurturing mother. Kobo literally
  means to mold, to keep, to gather together, to
  glue together
• Kora Menunaak Women the caregiver. Menunaak
  comes from the word aak the frigate bird. The
  frigate birds flies over the seas to bring fish
  to her young ones.
• Ieb Jaltok Basket facing our way. A woman
  relocated anywhere will always bring blessings to
  the clan.
• Lejmaanjuri Step on major aggression. Woman the
  peacemaker.
• Kora im Ankil Woman and her talents.
  Resourceful.
• Limaro Bikbikir Kolo eo Women shaking the spirit
  movers and shakers for their sons, their clans
  and communities.

7
Definitions (cont.) traditional roles of men

• Ekkwikwi Jin-en Emaan is a Marshallese saying
  that means a son should come to the rescue of his
  mother man, the protector of the clan.
• Mommaan Keimokraan means the man wakes the day or
  the man wakes in early morning hours to go fish
  and find food for the family man, the scavenger
  of the clan.
• Mommaan Maronron is usually followed by the
  saying Kora Mojno meaning that since the man is
  physically the stronger of the two, the woman is
  physically the weaker, the man is to take the
  lead and explore, respond, and carry heavy
  burdens for the clan.

8
The Seal of the Marshall Islands Government
Balance in Nature, the Role of Women

• The Seal the frigate bird, the net, the sailing
  canoe, the pounding rock, the meto, the island,
  and the sea
• Conserving - Mother Nature, Matrilineal -
  Kijmined
• Nurturing the pounding rock, island -Jined ilo
  Kobo
• Securing - The frigate bird, the net, the island
  Kora Menunaak, Kora Ieb Jaltok, Lejmaanjuri
• Exploring - The sailing canoe, the frigate bird,
  the net Kora im An Kil, Limaro Bikbikir Kolo eo
• Peacekeeping the net - Lejmaanjuri

9
The Role of MenSharpening the Vision

• The Seal symbolizing mens role as the frigate
  bird, the net, the sailing canoe, the pounding
  rock, the meto, the island, and the sea
• Exploring the meto, the bird, the island, the
  canoe Irooj im Jela, Niti-Jela
• Leading the meto, the sea, the land
• Securing the meto, the pounding rock
  (respecting the mother), the net Ekakwikwi
  Jin-en Emmaan
• Fishing and Planting for the Family - the sea the
  land Mo-maan Kaimokraan, Mo-maan Maronron

10
The RMI Motto the Culture

• The RMI Motto is Jepelpel in Ke Ejukaan, an old
  Marshallese saying and belief. Jepel means to
  part from and kaan means the flora of the land,
  the country. It means that while the islands are
  apart, each will remain standing firm. It
  refers to the people, that although leaders will
  depart, others will stand in their place. It
  means that while people are apart they still grow
  as one. It is the cultural and the countrys
  vision of sustainable development.

11
Sons the Meto - What about the Daughters?

• The many factors that affected our traditions
• The Culture Trade (Globalization)
• Christianity Education
• The Constitution Jemen-ei, the Supreme Law of
  the Land
• The Land working claiming the land
• The Sea sailing fishing the seas
• The Nitijela, the Meto Leadership
• Sons Daughters in Transition

12
Culture Globalization

• Exchange of Goods
• Commodities for Exchange
• Wives were sometimes used
• Land was sometimes used
• Sons of Mixed Blood resulted

• Traders bear new breed with outside power base
  plus land (through purchase of land, e.g.)
• Special recognition of common man and education
  of wives as well
• Businessman new type of leaders national,
  community, home

13
Christianity Education

• Converting the Irooj and the Culture
• Selecting Common Man for Pastor
• Educating the Pastor
• Wife receives some education
• Pastor Wife receive special recognition
• Pastor Wife become more educatedPastors - New
  type of Leaders home, community, national

14
Government Democracy Equal Opportunities in
All Roles

• Bill of Rights equal opportunities and
  protection of citizens, both gender
• Education Act compulsory basic education for
  citizen, both gender
• CRC Ratification comprehensive protection and
  opportunities for children, both gender
• National Womens Policy comprehensive
  protection and opportunities for women
• Vision 2018 implementation of Womens Policy

15
Impact on Women Men

• Education of Women on the rise
• Employment of Women on the rise, however
  unemployment rate on the rise
• Transition re changes to customary roles family
  responsibilities, community responsibilities
  changing gender roles
• Land custodial rights changing bringing about
  lack of security for women
• Social impact on women and children re abuse and
  neglect

16
Transition re changes to customary roles

• family responsibilities parenting in a nuclear
  family with household headed by father (not
  maternal uncle, nor maternal grandmother)
• community responsibilities church (men leaders
  mainly), school, culture, government (men leaders
  mainly in parliament judiciary, in local
  governments health clinics)
• changing gender roles both seek employment,
  both seek education, both can run for office,
  either can hold and head household

17
Meto Vision 2018 - Where do we go from here?

• We now have a new navigational chart - Vision
  2018, and it has the following elements in its
  mandate that need our review and understanding
  with respect to their impact on the balance and
  harmony between the feminine and the masculine
  roles
• A country in an interdependent world
• Enhanced socio-economic self-reliance
• An Educated People
• A Healthy People
• A Productive People
• Law-abiding People
• God-loving People
• Respecting Individual freedom and fundamental
  human rights
• Respecting culture and traditions
• Environmental Sustainability