WILMER JOEL
A plea from a child to her father to see Santa made a Christmas parade on Wotje Atoll a reality last week.
Mayor-elect Rithen Lajar narrated the story to the Journal.
Before Wotje Elementary School went into vacation mode, the principal instructed students to tidy up the campus in preparation for Santa’s plane arrival. Kikka, Rithen’s eight-year-old daughter, woke her father while he was resting, saying, “Baba, Santa is coming from the plane.”
He told her to hurry up before she missed the plane. He got up, washed his face, and attempted to follow her. Rithen was surprised at not being informed of Santa’s visit. Rithen said that many of the students flocked to the airport to meet their Santa. But when the plane landed, Santa was not on board, and Kikka returned to her father, gave him a disappointed hug and said, “Maybe Santa will come next week.”
Rithen was inspired to help the kids on the island and he promised his daughter to bring Santa Claus.
The youngest daughter of the late former President Litokwa Tomeing, Melinda Tomeing, said that Rithen mentioned the idea of reviving the Christmas parade during a family dinner.
She said that although the Tomeing family had initiated the Christmas parade for more than a decade, it had not resumed momentum following President Litokwa’s death in 2020.
Melinda suggested to Rithen that funding was required for the parade, so the family asked Wotje residents on the island and on social media to contribute. “It was last-minute planning, but with the help of families, friends, Rong Line (a Facebook group for people in Wotje) and businesses, the dream came true,” she said. In order to raise money for the parade, Rithen and his spouse held a handicraft raffle, which brought in $400. In order for the candies to arrive on the plane, he purchased a block seat on the Air Marshall Islands.
Six floats from different businesses and families participated in the Christmas parade, which was finally made a reality. Melinda reported that the parade proceeded from Litokwa Tomeing area to the airport between 10am and 12noon. She also mentioned that the ice cream and candy arrived on board AMI in time for the occasion, which included two cases of candy from EZ Price on Majuro.
Rithen told the Journal that because of collective efforts, the parade became a reality for the children. “Despite the last-minute situation, I am happy that we were able to resolve it together.” Melinda reinforced Rithen’s remarks by highlighting the Marshallese proverb “kandikdik kin iokwe” (help out with what you have with love).