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In the following month, many dipcussiaons and conferences were
consider possible sites for relocation,
held
to
Most {slands and atolls in the
Marshalls were already inhabited, and those not occupied offered few inducements
for permanent habitation.
The administration sought advice frow the paramount
cuief who than Lived on Kwajalein Island and according to tradition held title
to the atoll of Bikini.
For generations Rikinians had used the land and
its
products in @ manner reminiscent of feudal Europe in the Hiddle Ages.
atoll sites were investigated; all lay ia the nort hern Marshelle cloze to.
Bikini but sufficiently distant to escape danger from the atonle experin
nenmcs,.
<ernative possibilites were eliminated
for varied reasons.
The £iral
ive)
selection, agreed to by the Bikinians and approved by the admini t vation,
Rongertik Atoll, about 1355 miles east of Bikini in approximately th
Was
same
latitude,
i
|
Rongerik was uninhabited.
From time to time small parties
ewer
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Hay
4
N2aT AV
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Rongelab Atoii came by canoe to collect coconuts and arrowroot.
smaller than Bikini both in its land and lagoon and while its YeEsourcees
Ware
Jess abundant the administration judsed them to be adequa te for the
Preparations for resettlement began at Jtikin
kini with an inventor
|
to be sbandoned, i.e. houses, trees, and landholdings.
Pardanus
collected, sorted, and packed in boxes -or wrapped in pandanus
“20S
evs
Twenty-two oon and some U. S. naval personne] labored for days G
24
building tent frames,
iatrines, and concrete cisterns ror the new ville
A navel landing ship came from Kwajalein to move the
a
rs
C
oy
mee peace PE
a
"
°?
t+
wee
«.
Oo
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iy
hater, at the small cematery where the villegers had buried their an
tn
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c
the assembled Bikinians and reviewed instructicns for passage
©
On the afterncon of March 7 the governor and his aides azsin ¢c
rt
rnerereene
TS were
gathered for thatch, canocs were dismanticd, and personal belongings!