CHEMLCOAL COMPOSITION Ob
from the immature nut is preferred for drinking, and only rarely is the germinated aut
mage Capa the dete) spoomtogee
.
staple eaten alune or mixed with otier fueis.
The coconut sap is collected from the cut
ends of inflorescences of cocamt trees
aMGOP fas po, eM he \
al
Vhe fresh sap is partake of hod a
groups, and the fermented sap, “iekre or
“yugaroo,” is consumed by adults,
Breadtruit (May is eaten either baked ar
*
1
.
ea
,
anf
.
'
:
ea ee
.
rererred to as “eneese.” “To wake “cheese.”
the skinais removed and the pulp is placed iu
salt water for three divs, then wrapped in
breadfruit leaves ard buried in the -and for
at dedst ane week ctote it is eaten. The
IKungelapese clain: that this “cheese” will
keep two years or more in the sand.
Pandanns t Bopo is eaten fresh, boiled. or
baked. “Jenkun,” a preparation said to keep
for more than nve vears, is prepared by
baking or boiling the Pandanus kevs and
scrapmg out the pulp. “Phe pulp is dried.
usually on sheet metal over coals unul it
reaches the consisteney of tudge. The dried
.
:
rodbandowrare af fa
Spo
tee a
Vandants or coconut leaves. Slices are cut
ali as needed,
Tacea op arrcewroot (Mokmok) tubers are
washed with sea water, crushed and jassed
through a sieve into a pan of sea water, and
allowed to settle tor three or tour hours.
When the starch begins to coagulate. the
water is decanted. Sea-water washes are
repeated several times, followed by one
fresh-water wash. Finally the starch is dried
and stored as a powder. The powder is
saved cvoith water for nse, and either caten
HCCC as te pakeded peated ot 7 ako
Che papaya is eaten fresh, sometimes
mixed with rice or grated coconut.
The fish consumed are primarily reef nsh
such as the goattish, VZuélomicthys sp.. mul-
lilt KRONULEALESe OteT
The langusta, »pitv lobster, is eaten boiled.
The clams are either boiled as a chowder or
pred te DT a sen fe Phe ob ay
eat ts sometinies Glew dried im the sun arter
baking and kept tor several days.
Birds are caren either baked or boiled,
.
1
wee
eae ue
booty
uv
nt
Moy
an
bard cues. usieuiy cared ered, form only an
ineidemal part ar the diet; they are used
principally when the Rengelapese are visitme islands other than their main island or
soeYat eeanae.
Ve?
big cud evighenm ave eden pensaron
special occasions.
The source or tresh water in the area ts
cisterns.
Ciround water, though potable in
certain areas during che runy season, ts not
ordinarily drunk.
(fF the imported foods, vice, wheat flour,
and canned corned beef appear to be the
most important. Many other products are
imported from time to time, such as sardines,
C-ration. ship's biscuit, aud candy. In 1958
large quantities of C-rattons were consumed.
Many individuals preter the imported foods.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Phe C-ampws
vere
nected
uring
a
sige
24-hr period in September, 1939, at Rongelap
tsland, taking care that the composition and the
amount corresponded to the composition and
ammount actually eaten by the individual. (Bwio
Soap, furmerc villaee seeretary, und Neil Morriss,
Trust Territory Resident -\griculturist at RoungeInp Atoll at that time, or one of the authors coliveted each saimple.: Wet weights of the samples
were taken im the neld. The samples were then
dried at “°C and shipped to the University of
Washington, Seattle.
Caution must he used in collecting to he reasonJoly sure tat sce dative wetiuns are a tense renreseltation.
Mister standing
ahh
ke
RG
desire to please can ecusily lead ~ome Rongelapese
tw provide merely a collection of tniscellaneous
tood items rather than actual daily rations of prepared toud. lt was felt that a few samples com-
let, Veuiyarus sp., surgeon-tish, .leauthurus
sp. and the siganids. The fish ure eaten
haked, boiled, or raw. The three fish we
have observed the Rongelapese to eat raw
posed of items and portions actually seen to be
consumed were preferable to many samples of
uncertain origin. Consequently, some samples prortered by individuals were discarded.
alsy preserved by baking and then drying in
the san. Sometimes salt is added betore the
isi are cried,
number 3 «Table 1), for example, appears to be
ridiculuusly low an the total amount consumed.
Doubtless there must have been some “snacking,”
but the eating habits of the Rongelapese are irregu-
are goatfish, mullet, and siganids. [ish are
Even so, there are obvious discrepancies. Sample
2