transportation for men, materials, and ultimately copra, is
an absolute necessity.
It is very difficult to estimate the degree of
utilization of local vs. imported foods.
One can say, however,
that the Bikini people will use imported foods to a much
greater degrec than they did before they were moved from the
atoll.
This, I believe, is the trend throughout the Marshalls.
It is seen in the orientation toward a cash economy, based upon
copra production,
If the Bikinians have the money they wili
purchase rice, flour and sugar, which have become staple food
items on Kili and elsewhere in the Marshalls.
These and over
foodstuffs, including coffee, tea, canned meats and canned fish,
will be purchased in large quantities.
They form an important
part of the diet and cannot be considered to be luxuries.
I
would imagine that the abundance of fish and shellfisn on
Bikini would mean a reduction in the purchase of canned fis«,
and even canried meat. The availability of pork and domestic
fowl locally would probably affect canned meat purchases.
sne
use of wildfowl and turtles would also probably mean a decr-sase
in canned meat purchases.
It should be noted that canned meats
and fish are very expensive in the Marshalls.
These and other
consumer goods must be imported over vast distances.
This
requirement is reflected in the cost to the consumer on the atol
The local foods such as arrowroot » Pandanus, preadfruit, bananas
and “squash will undouotediy be used in addition to smported
foods.
Arrowroot and pandanus were especially important and