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Questions Asked of the Story-Tellers

laughing


1. Can you please describe the time period you grew up in, such as what island or islands did you grow up on?

2. Now, can you describe what those times were like as compared to today?

3. Describe who people lived; what their homes were like and what they ate?

4. Did they consume mostly Marshallese type food, and what kind were they?

5. Now, according to what we hear from elder relatives, how people interact now is definitely different than how the interacted then. Stories of how today siblings kill each other because of disagreement over common land. In your opinion, what causes such strife?

6. Did such crime(s) exist then? It would seem that we are hearing about murder, robbery, and similar trouble with increasing frequency. Was this sort of behavior prevalent then? (why?)

7. Now, in regard to custom… how have customs changed (we do know it’s changed) and what customs have changed? Have they fully changed or have they mutated? (how)? Compare custom now with the time you were young.

8. What role(s) have Western courts played in Marshallese society? Is it good or bad that they have superseded traditional law? Is it good or bad that they should govern our lives and make decisions regarding our lands and land rights? And in the old days, who or what acted as “policemen” in society?

9. Now, as a last question, in your opinion, do you believe we can still preserve or customs and language? And how?


boats, majuro

KAJJITOK KO

Kajjitok Ko

  1. Kwomaron ke kwalok jidik kin tore ko ke kwar ritto lok ie. Einwot aelon ta eo ak ko im kwar pad im ritto lok ie.
  1. Eokwe kwo bar maron ke letok jidik melele kin ie wawein mour ilo tore ko kaeri nan raan kein.
  1. Kio ie-wawein moko imon armij kab ta ko kijaer.
  1. Elap ke aer kojerbal mona in Majol im kain mona rot ko?
  1.  Eokwe kio kemij ron ippan ro nukim ke elap an oktak wawein an armij jerbal ippan droon im lale droon. Einwot ke raan kein jej ron kake an jeim/jati man droon im jilkinlok droon jan bwidej. Ilo am lomnak, ta ekomman bwe en walok wawein rot in?
  1. Kio, ewor ke baj murder ak uror im apelonlon ien ko ke einwot raan kein jelak baj lale wor wot jorran ien wotemjej. Kar ke eindrein tore ko?
  1. Kio, ilo am baj lale, ie wawein an oktak manit raan kein jaan kar ien ko kwoj drik. Ej kajoor wot ke? Ak ewor ke kakkobaba ak e-kabodren ke?
  1. Eokwe,  kwolak baj lale, ewor ke iraabtok e-walok ilo an court ko an Dri-palle pad im komman jemlok ko kin bwidej im armij. Kab won ak ta ejo bok jikin policeman ak court ilo tore ko?
  1. Eokwe kajjitok eo eliktata, baj ilo am lale, ej wor wot ke ien nan ad drebij manit im kajin in ad im naj ie wawein?