PROPF-RTY OF THF. t r u s t tfrrit OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS SES ECONOMIC OEOASIZATIOS 07 TES MARSHALL ISUNSSSS By Loonard S. Mason S. Commercial Company, Economic Surrey Honolulu, April 1947 TABLE Of COHTENTS Pa«« PEEFAGE Ti I. THE LAÏÏD 1 A. CLIMATE 1 1. Summary of Pertinent Bat a 1 2. Appraisal of Climat• la Eolation to 1 a. Effectiveness of manpower 1 to. Production 3 e. Resources 3 B. TOPOGHAPHT * 2 1. Descriptive Summary 3 2. Summary of B««our««« 4 3. Eolation «f Geographical Factors to 4 a. Production 4 to. Transportation 5 c* Effectiveness of manpower 5 II. THE PEOPLE 6 A. POPULATION 6 1. Historical Background 6 a. Politisai history 7 to. Economie development 8 e. Missions 9 2. Population Statistics 9 a. B y nationality 9 to. B y locality 10 e. By ago group and sox 13 3. Chief Health factors 14 B. CULTURAL BASA 15 1. Kinship Organisation 15 a. She family 15 to. The slan 21 2. Territorial Organisation 36 a. The settlement 36 to. The atoll 38 3. Occupational Organization 31 4. Associations 3 3 5. Bank and Status Organisation 34 a. Marshallese 34 to. Half-castee 39 6. Comprehensive 41 11 Page CONSUMPTION AND REqUIRIMSNTS 42 A. NATIVE CONSUMPTION PATTERN 43 1. Consumers* Goods 42 a. Pood 42 B. Clothing and accessories 49 2. Capital Goods 51 a. Tools and implements 51 B. Machines and apparatus 52 c. Vehicles 52 d. Water craft 53 3. Shelter 56 4. Services 58 a. Transportation 58 B. Communication 61 c. DistriBution of trade goods 62 d. Savings and credit 64 e. Vocational education 65 f. Social welfare 66 B. NATIVE HEQUIPJJMENTS 67 1. Principles 67 2. Specific Needs 68 a. Pood 38 B. Clothing 70 c. Tools 72 d. Machines 73 e. Vehicles 74 f. Water craft 74 g. Shelter 76 h. Transportation 77 i. Communication 80 j. DistriBution of trade goods 82 k. Savings and credit 83 1. Vocational education 83 m* Social welfare 84 C. UNITED STATES MILITARY BEC^JIEEMENTS 85 D. NATIVE CONSUMPTION VS. K2CUIREHENTS 85 PROPEHTY 86 A. LAND TENURE 86 1. Native Land System 86 2. Changes Under German Administration 88 lii Pag# 3. Changes Under Japanese Administration 89 4. Conditions Under American Administration 90 &. History of land adninistratien in Radak 90 h. History of land administration in Hallk 96 e. History of the Likiep property 99 B. MOVABLE AND INTANGIBLE PROPERTY 101 1. Ownership and Inheritance 101 2. TriBute and Taxation 102 3. Alienation by Gift 105 C. RECOMMENDATIONS 107 V, LABOR 109 A. WAGR LABOB 109 1. Categories of Work 109 2. AvailaBility of LaBor 110 3. Conditions of LaBor 112 3. OTHER FORMS OF LABOR 114 1. Cooperation and Group Participation 114 2. Specialisation 115 3. Copra LaBor Unrest at Likiep 117 a. Recommendations 123 VI. RESOURCES 126 A. COPRA PRODUCTION 126 1. Conditions of Coconut Cultivation 136 2. Commercial Development under German Direction 127 3. Japanese Stimulation of the Industry 127 4. Native Methods of Processing Copra 128 5. Marketing of Copra by Nativas 129 6. Post-war RehaBilitation of the Oepra Industry 130 B. HANDICRAFT PRODUCTION 131 1. Japanese Organisation of Handicraft Production 131 2. American Support of Handicraft Industry 132 3. Processes and Techniques of Production 133 a. Coconut leaf 133 B. Pandanus leaf 134 c. HiBiscus Bark 135 iv 135° 140° 145° 150° _J_ BONIN (OGASAWARA) ISLANDS : PARRY Group (Mukoshima R etto) Rosario I. (Nishino) • BEECHEY Group(Chiehishima Retto) 1 BAILEY or COFFIN Group(Hahashimo Retto) DAITO SHIMA . Kita Iwo Shlma 25° * iwo shima V 0 L C A N 0 ( K A Z A N) IS L AND ' Minami Iwo Shima U racas or Farallón de Pojaros 20° „ Moug • Asuncion MARIANA Agrihan ’ Pagan • Alam agan • Gugu an IS LANDS .'Sorigan . Anatohan • Farallón deMedinilla Soipan 15°- T inlon J Aguijan - Rota f Guam • Santa Rosa Reef Ulithi 10° ?•> . Fais / Yap • Goferut HAL . E^st Mu . Faraulep Namonuito, .» Fayu. u .O ■ ■<?Ngulu « Sdrol Nomwi Kayangely? West Fayu. Pikelot Oiimarao. Lamotrek < Pulop /¿Babelthuap \toleai .-’ If alik ú'-TRUh Èlato Sa*awa! 'Puluwat N P A L A U s? Eauripi k Kuop“ • Angaur • Pulusuk Nomo luk Et i Sonsorol 5° • Sataw . Pulo Anna ' Merir A R 0 L N E Tobi i’ Helen Reef M apia New Guinea ADMIRALTY ISLANDS Mussau Monus , CO* ■ New Hanover O:,. FBXFi.CS Shis study of the economic organization of the Marshall Islanders was undertaken as one part of a surrey of American Micronesia; this surrey «as conducted hy the U. S. Commercial Company» a gorernaent agency operating within the framework of the Beoonstruetlon Finance Corporation. The 0. S. Commercial Company» cooperating with the Military Governmant Section of the Nary Department, ie directly responsiBle for economic daralapmomta among the peoples of Guam and the former Japaaooo Mandated Islands. This economic surrey» carried out during the summer of 1946» was considered essential for planning future economic derelepment of the island area. For purposes of the surrey the writer vas leaned to the 0. S. Commercial Company hy the Department of State» where he had heen engaged in reeearoh on the Pacific Islands. After Being assigned to the Marshall Islands area and Briefed on the nature and extent of the proposed surrey* he left Honolulu for the Marshalls in April 1946. The following four months were characterized by almost constant contact with Marshallese communities located in rspreeentatire atolls of the archipelago. The Marshallese people everywhere proved most cooperative and hospitaBle, rendering con­ sideraBle service in the accumulation of data and making the writer's visit an enjoyaBle personal experience as well. Communication with the Marshallese was achieved generally by the use of Xngllsh-speaklng native« or half-castes, to whom a special deBt of gratitude is due <— to Fredy Harrahn, Carl Doomick, Dwight Heine, Mike Madison, Herman Schmidt, Beam Heine, KaBua, and others. Housing accommodations, meals, and transpor­ tation were graciously provided in every community, thus estaBlishing another deBt which the writer will never be aBle to repay in kind; Individuals who will Be rememBered particularly in this connection are Anton Do Brum and his family, Raymond De Brum, Carl Hahn, fomaing, Fredy Gapelle, HoBert fieimers, Bearn Heine, KaBna, Jitlam, Lainglen, LajlBll, OBit, LaBen, and ethers. Assistance was else rendered in ne small measure by American personnel attached to Military Government and to 0. S. Commercial Company, such as Mr. Gerald Foley (senior 0SCC representative in the Marshalls), Mr. Xarl Blodgett (USCC representative at Majuro), Commodore Ben tforatt (Commandant, Marshalls suB-area), Lt. (j.g.j Hector Cyr (Military Government Officer, Iwajalein), and Cmdr. Pugh (skipper of fPB-32 at iBeye). Despite the relatively short duration of the writer*e contaet with the Marshallese people, their cooperative and friendly attitude made lt possiBle to acquire a consideraBle tinderstanding of their economic proBlems. In this report, the writer hopes that he has Been aBle te express those proBlems in terms which will Be appreciated By those Americans who are charged with the economic rehaBilitation of the Marshallese people. The islanders themselves are looking toward the future with great hopes for a Better deal than they received from the Japanese. If this report can con­ triBute in some meacure to the realisation of that hope, the writer will Be satisfied that personal hardships undergone in the course of the field work were not in vain. vi Any criticism of American administrât ire mud other personnel is not to he construed as personal, hut rather as illustrative of the proBlems which arise in the administration of native affairs and of the implica­ tion» and repercussions which result from certain administrative actions. In this report, no Brief is held for the administration of the native population by any one 9. S. agency in contrast to another — the Brief which is held is the more important one of the natives' welfare. Leonard Mason vii I. IBS LAJD A. CLIMATE 1. S y j m u r r of Pertinent Data The climate of the Marshall Islands, Because of their position near the equator and their small land area in the midst of r&st expanses of ocean, is characterised By high and uniform temperatures, high humid­ ity, and generally heavy rainfall* Temperature remains around 80° 7 ., with only slight diurnal variation (the heat of the day is just after noon, the coolest time just before dawn) and a seasonal variation from the annual mean of no more than one degree in any one month. The humid­ ity, which rises during the night to 85 and 90, drops to 75 and 80 in the early afternoon* With regard to rainfmll, there is consideraBle variation in the precipitation pattern as one travels from south to north within the archipelago* The southern atolls (like Majure, Arno, EBon, and Jalult) receive an annual rainfall of aBout 160 inches, which is distriButed fairly uniformly throughout the year. The northern islands (like Eniwetok, Rongerik, and Utirlk) receive only half as much rain, with greater seasonal variation and near-drought conditions occur­ ring in the winter months of January, FeBruary, and March. The general effect of the climate in the Marshall Islands is pleasant. The air is less humid than that encountered in the high islands farther west} strong cooling Breezes from the sea moderate the tropical heat of tho area; and the rainfall is generally not heavy enough to interfere seriously with ordinary human activities. Signif­ icant seasonal variations in climate are restricted to rainfall and wind. Tho northeast trade winds predominate from DecemBer to April and, in the northern Marshalls, usually Bring fine weather. The wind Blows strongest at tho height of the northeast trades* , In tho southern atolls, the trade winds are loss apparent, Being replaced By more moderate east and southeast Breezes* During summer and autumn the winds decrease appreciaBly in intensity and often yield to temporary periods of calm* 2* Apja&l&ftI ,9f.