Missionaries in Ailinglaplap

Journal 10/9/1981

P3 Hospital design contracted The Cabinet has approved a $50,000 contract with Panelfab International for design of the new Majuro hospital. The government announcement said leases for land in Delap would be signed within a month. Approximately $8.4 million was appropriated for the hospital by the US Congress.

P5 About Ailinglaplap by Mary Browning Rev. Pierson’s report of the 1855 missionary visit to Ailinglaplap is the earliest information I have which includes descriptions of the people on the atoll. Pierson knew that Kaibuki was an important chief, but was not sure of the number of atolls under his control. Some told him nine atolls, others said he controlled all the Ralik chain. The reason for Kaibuki’s previous hostility toward foreigners, which contrasted with the reception he gave Pierson’s vessel the Belle, was said to be that as a young man he’d witnessed an incident at Ebon involving a foreign vessel. At that time, Kaibuki’s older brother had been badly wounded, and their father swore revenge. Kaibuki had carried on the tradition. Dr. Pierson mistakenly judged those days to be over.

In spite of the missionaries favorable report on Ailignlaplap, it was not chosen as the site of the first mission in the Marshalls; Ebon was. Had it been the other way around, our information on Ailinglaplap would be more complete. The Morning Star visited the atoll in February 1864, and a report of the 1876 cruise states that a mission teacher left there had taken part in a killing, presumably at Ailinglaplap. Perhaps that was only a brief and unsuccessful attempt at establishing a mission station, for, reporting not the cruise made at the end of 1886 and beginning of 1887, Dr. Edward Pease wrote: “Andrew is pastor here at Ailinglaplap. Three years ago it was a new field. Now there is a church of 70 members. The teacher who assisted has recently fallen and now trying to undo the good which hitherto he had been instrumental in doing. He has told me that he wanted to repent and return to his work, but the devil has a strong grip on him at present.”

In the meantime, with Jaluit becoming more and more important as the trading center of the Marshalls, Ailinglaplap’s importance seemed somewhat eclipsed — though it remained the capital and headquarters for the chiefs in the Ralik chain. There was a trade station there at least by the late 1870s, identified as “German,” and probably one of Capelle’s. In the early 1870s, it was visited at least once by a labor recruiting vessel, the Eugenie, recruiting labor for William Stewart’s cotton plantation in Tahiti. Three of the islanders picked up at Ailinglaplap escaped at Jaluit.

By the time the Japanese took over the Marshalls in 1914, there were four chiefs sharing Ailinglaplap: Lailang, Jemada, Litokua, and Lobokkij.

P6 Kalani restaurant opens next week There is a new bar and restaurant in town. It is called Kalani, according to its owner, Wally Milne. Formerly, the building housed Monkubok and before that, the Reef.

Journal 10/8/1993

P15 Grad nurses find jobs Recent graduates of the College of the Marshall Islands nursing program now working in Majuro hospital include Frederick Harry, Kie Lanki, Eona Junior Simon, and Tina Nashion. Another recent grad, Altina Anien, is working in public health in the Preventive Bureau.

P21 Solar study could light way for outer islands Asian Development Bank financing of a study of energy resources and possibilities for the Marshalls is giving a boost to plans for a dramatic expansion of the use of solar power for the outer islands.

P23 EPA czar initiates inspection Three EPA health inspectors converged on more than half a dozen local grocery stores this morning to make sure the food on the shelves is “safe for public consumption.” EPA General Manager Kasuo Helgenberger, Chief Health Inspector Bujen Jacob and Environmental Specialist Risen Tarbilin began the first inspection of local food stores this week.

Journal 10/1/2004

P2 President’s plea to world President Kessai Note spoke to the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week. President Note asked the international community to take a closer look at the problems that low-lying islands such as the Marshall Islands are experiencing, notably from climate change.

P8 Jekkar wins teacher of the year CopyMasters recently awarded new computer equipment to the teacher of the year 2004, Diana Jednil Jekkar, an eighth-grade teacher at Assumption. She was elected by the Ministry of Education as the Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) teacher of 2004.

P11 Ralik Ratak basketball action Arno upset defending champion Kwajalein in Saturday nights championship game at the ECC to win the sixth annual Ralik Ratak Shootout, 72-70. Kwajalein start Nelson Langkio was named tournament MVP.