13 The Political Situation Decisions on the local level are made by the council of family heads and other males. Magistrate Juda, The council 4s headed by who is also the senior male of the Bikini group according to the traditional system, ‘the local chiefs (iroij), of Bikini. He is the heir of The Bikini people were also traditionally subjects of a paramount chief (iroij lablab), whose ancestor had conquered Bikini over a paramount chiefs of Bikini had century ago. never lived The on the atoll but only visited it from time to time to collect tribute from their subjects. tion was A percentage of the cash proceeds from copra produccollected during the Japanese period, The Bikini people, in effect, declared their independence from the paramount chief shortly after their move from Bikini. They rejected him completely and declared that the U.S. Government was their paramount chief, and not the absentee title holder, heip them, whom they complained had but only exploited them. for the past twenty years. I found that never done anything to This hae been the theme On my last trip to the Marshalls this attitude has not changed. They want nothing “to do with Troij LejoléH Kabua who holds the paramount chief's rights to Bikini according to the traditional Marshallese custom. The attitude of rejection and refusal to accept him as their leader and more spokesman has hardened, than twenty years of independence. Le jol a continues to maintain nis mmo if anything, As I after understand claim to nis nereditary it, rights