The third class is the workers, the rijerbal.
the large majority of people.
Obviously, these constitute
The question of land tenure is a very complicated
issue, even to the Marshallese themselves, and there have been several studies
conducted on land tenure. A good example is Dr. Michael A. Rynkiewich's entitled
Adoption and Land Tenure Among Arno Marshallese
The traditional way of life gave the chief final authority over men and
women and consequently, whatever took place in society was very much under the .
benevolent eyes and observance and protection of the iroij.
This traditional way
of life may appear to be changing with the introduction of a democratic form of
government that has a constitution, election,
and bureaucratization.
It is
apparent, however, that the traditional stratification system is very much at the
heart of the social structure, and that any willful or unwillful ignorance of
this fact would be dealing with a veneer of democratic modernity over the real
body politic--the iroij, alab, and rijerbal social structure.
The social organization of the Marshall Islands can readily be identified as
belonging to the Gemeinschaft, or primary group, of societal ideal types.
This
means that life is based on face-to-face, personal, small group interaction.
This also means that respect for traditional
authority, for customs, for the
standard ways of doing thigs is uppermost in the minds of people.
It has been
observed that the most important aspect of successful programs in the Marshall
Islands as in all such societies is based on recognition of the realities of the
social structure, its authority, its traditions, etc., and sincerely complying
with and respecting the local traditions and culture.
The following quotations
clearly demonstrate this need:
Article 16, Section C, of the contract between the
government of the Marshall Islands and the S.D.A.
Guam-Micronesia Mission, executed February 14, 1980:
“The
Contractor
hereby
agrees
to
take
Marshallese custom and tradition into account in its
administration of the health services system and to
respect the same. No employee shall be compelled by
reason of employment by the Contractor to do any act
or refrain from doing any act which would violate
Marshallese custom and tradition.
"On question of custom and tradition the
Contractor, as the party responsible for management
and contro] of the health services system, shall have
the same right as any department or agency of the
Government to seek the advace of the Traditional
Rights Court of the Marshall Islands on questions of
custom and tradition."
In an interview with Mr. Oscar DeBrum, Chief
Secretary of the Government of the Marshall Islands,
Mr. DeBrum said: