and desirable has prevented a wholehearted attempt to adjust
to the island.
The writer was closely involved with the former Bikini
people during his years of service as District Anthropologist
in the Marshall Island.
He lived on Kili for several pro-
longed periods and was able to see what life on Kili is like.
In his opinion the complaints
are valid.
of the ex-Bikini people on Kili
Conditions are certainly unfavorable.
There are
periods when the island is jsolated and the people are very
short of food.
There is no doubt that Kili could support a
smaller population,
if the island could be supplied adequately
from the outside world.
However, the only solution acceptable
to the former Bikinians,
as a whole,
is to return them to
Bikini.
Attempts to Aid in the Adjustment Process
The Administration of the Trust Territory made various
efforts to assist the relocated Bikinians to make a successful
adjustment to Kili.
A fifty-foot schooner was purchased and
turned over to the group.
island
was
in addition to tne regular field trip stops.
soon Jost
enced crew.
This
This was to be used to supply the
The
craft
in the surf due to mishandling by the inexperiA second craft was provided
was a great help but was lost
several years later.
in a typhoon which swept
through the southern Marshalls in December of 1957.
Government
land was provided for the use of the Kili people on the neigh-
boring atoll of Jaluit,
Several acres on Jabwor Island were
used as a village area.
Houses, a storehouse, and other
Wo 13944