High spirit, fewer jeptas

Marshalls Christian High School student Balaan Langidrik leads the spirited jepta from Rongrong Island during a performance at Uliga Protestant Church Christmas night. Photo: Hilary Hosia.
Marshalls Christian High School student Balaan Langidrik leads the spirited jepta from Rongrong Island during a performance at Uliga Protestant Church Christmas night. Photo: Hilary Hosia.

Despite the low number of jepta (group) performances and attendees at the United Church of Christ mother church in Uliga on Christmas day, the spirit of giving remained intact. Whether out-migration or the fact that Majuro has numerous churches simultaneously hosting jeptas was the cause of a nearly four-hour “wait time” Christmas evening, all was forgiven when Majuro Atoll Waste Company brought their lively show with a unique twist: healthy food giveaway, an upgrade from the traditional candy tossing.

Marshalls Christian High School followed with a mixture of stick dance and traditional cappella-style chorus, setting them apart from most jeptas that overlay choir singing with keyboard tunes.

Danny Peter’s Uliga jepta concluded the night with their “sidewalk” construction dance routine — a new performance following last year’s “seawall” dance.

Read more about this in the December 28, 2018 edition of the Marshall Islands Journal.