Navigating the past and present: How Marshall Islands weaves old traditions into the fabric of modern world
- Admin
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
In the Marshall Islands, seafaring and weaving are two traditions that have withstood the test of time amid pressures from modernization, commerce, migration and climate change. With deep roots that predate European contact, these traditions remain central to Marshallese culture and identity, keeping the past connected to the present.
In their research titled “Marshallese Seafaring and Weaving Heritage and Sustainable Communities,” Takuya Nagaoka and Alson Kelen discuss how seafaring and weaving have survived through the ages.
Nagaoka is an archeologist and the executive director of Pasifika Renaissance in Japan, while Kelen is a cultural elder, master navigator and director of Waan Aelõñ in Majel. The authors focused their study on Majuro and island communities in the outer Majuro Atoll in 2023.
Spanish explorers first visited the Marshall Islands in the 1520s, although significant interaction, trade and missionary work didn't happen until the 1820s with the arrival of American whalers and missionaries.
Long before that, Marshallese voyagers traveled between islands to gather resources, transport goods, maintain social connections with neighboring islands and arrange marriages. Canoes were also vital to the livelihood of the Marshallese, who used them for fishing. Before maps were invented, sailors relied on stick charts and other traditional tools to navigate the ocean.
However, the Marshallese’s freedom to travel offshore was disrupted during the German and Japanese colonial period. Although the Germans didn’t totally ban inter-island travel, they required the Marshallese to focus on producing coconut products.
The Japanese controlled travel, built military bases and clipped the traditional chiefs’ powers. The Marshallese sailors still went out to sea, not for cultural or trade purposes, but to advance the Germans’ commercial interests and the Japanese military plans.
After World War II, modern transportation arrived. Canoes and traditional navigation were pushed into the background. Planes, cargo ships and outboard motorboats took over. The new generation of Marshallese eventually lost interest in canoes. It didn’t help that the big trees, which provided the material for canoe building, became scarce. Nuclear testing disrupted life on the islands.
In 1989, a nonprofit government organization called Waan Aelõñ or WAM in Majel revived canoe-building and sailing. WAM introduced modern materials, such as fiberglass, and provided vocational training in canoeing and sailing, integrating these with traditional knowledge.
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Annual canoe races during the holidays and island festivals drew the young Marshallese’s interest in the seafaring tradition, which taught them about their heritage, made them understand the importance of wind-powered transportation and raised awareness about climate change.
While seafaring was placed under colonial control during the German and Japanese occupation, handicraft production was encouraged during that period, according to Nagaoka and Kelen. Weaving continues to thrive today, adapting to modern commerce.
Marshallese women are known for their elaborate handicrafts, producing mats, baskets, bags, fans, hats, jewelry and ornaments from local materials such as pandanus leaves, coconut fronds, fibers and seashells.
Some islands are associated with specific products. Wotje Atoll specializes in hair ornaments, while Utrok and Majuro are known for their jewelry. In Bikini Atoll, the intricate kili handbags are created only by the most skilled weavers.
Handicrafts provide income for women, particularly in rural areas. Some women earn more from their handicrafts than from fishing or copra production.
The authors noted the revival of the jaki-ed mats weaving. Jaki-ed are finely woven mats used for clothing and gifts. Young women are taught traditional weaving techniques, business skills and modern approaches to ensure that weaving remains relevant for cultural and economic sustainability.
According to the 2019 U.S. census, approximately 24,000 Marshallese migrated to the United States. Some of the women use this opportunity to sell their crafts to other Marshallese families in the U.S. through online platforms, allowing them to maintain connections while doing business
The authors noted that handicrafts and canoe traditions contribute to tourism by providing visitors with cultural education while supporting the local conomy
and generating income for the local population.
The Marshallese have learned to weave these traditions into the modern world, enabling them to keep pace with rapid change while maintaining a sustainable economy.
Raquel Bagnol is a longtime journalist. She worked as a reporter for Marianas Variety on Saipan and Island Times in Palau. Send feedback to gukdako@yahoo.com
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