~il.
Cuitural and Historical Data
A.
Cultural History
The Marshallese have had a long history of contact with foreigners of
several nations.
Each has left its imprint on the culture of Ehe islanders.
After Magellan discovered this part of the world in 152, Spain slowly
advanced her military, political, economic and religious
Pacific.
dgontrol
But not until] the 19th century were the Marshalls
her vast imperial holdings in any formal sense.
Spain's
weak,
seized
however,
that
an
aggressive
Germany
had
in the
[made a part of
@ontrol was so
c@ntrol
of
the
trade
and
Marshalls late in the century.
German
administration
encouraged
established
copra production
Although
limited
a
as
public works
an
the
development
economic
program was
Marshallese culture was not a profound one.
base
pf
for
commenced,
e Marshalls.
fhe
impact
on
Qne important cliltural change
brought about by the Germans, however, was the cessation of the interisland
warfare between
chiefs
seeking hegemony over
the
territofies
of
their
rivals.
Japan seized control
of the Marshall
Islands
in 191% and in 1922
established a civil] government under a mandate of the Leagife of Nations.
Under firm Japanese control the economy prospered for the firgdt time.
older citizens still remember the Japanese with some fondnes&
were
abundant
and
education,
modern
agriculture,
Thus,
because jobs
impgoved
fishing
techniques, and modern communications systems were introduced.
In 1947 the United States accepted a United Nations twusteeship for
what came to be termed the Trust Territories of the Pacific
Islands.
comprised
[ncluding
all
the
former
Japanese
mandated
islands,
This
the
Marshalls, which had been reconquered by American forces duwing World War
IT.
Whalers,
explorers,
missionaries,
and
government
officials
-- all
played a part in bringing about changes in Marshallese cultugal practices.
Cultural changes effected by the Germans, Japanese, and the fAmericans are
evident today in all the islands of the archipelago.
fEuroflean clothing,
Japanese cars, "American" food, constitute the most obvious evfidences of the
changed
way
of
life
of
the
Marshallese
Marshallese Language,
is
alive and well,
demands of a rapidly changing world.
people.
and
'‘Kajing
is adapting
Majol',
the
itself to the
The old Marshallese relfgious beliefs
and practices are no longer in evidence nor easy to discovem, but some of
the old values still express themselves through the social organization and
the death rituals.
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