The Pacific Resilience Program Phase 2 (PREP II) comprises a series of projects aimed at enhancing the resilience of coastal infrastructure in the densely populated areas of the capital Majuro and the island of Ebeye.
Yesterday - Where We Were
The Journey from Traditional Island Society to Modern Nation
Master Navigators of the Pacific: The Marshallese Legacy
Conventional history records that the Marshall Islands were originally settled by Micronesians in the 2nd millennium BC by people who sailed from Southeast Asia in outrigger canoes.
However, it has also been documented that as far back as 10,000 years ago, climate change at that time led to rising sea levels, and often forced migration all around the Pacific… sometimes by opening up routes, sometimes by ending coastal settlements.
Only a few races were as adept at navigating the ocean waves as were the early Marshallese. Bold adaptation was a way of life and a part of their DNA then, and that imprint still remains prevalent today.
The power of the sea has taught these master navigators that it is far easier to work with the ocean and its tides, rather than against them. These are the lessons of the original Marshallese; these are the ways of ‘The Great Navigators.’
Cultural Collision: Modern Explorers Forever Influence Traditional Ways of Life
In the 16th century, the Spanish explorer Álvaro de Saavedra sighted the Marshall Islands, but the islands remained largely isolated until the arrival of European traders and explorers in the 19th century. In 1885, the German Empire claimed the Marshall Islands as a colony, and the islands became known as German New Guinea.
During World War I, Japan occupied the Marshall Islands, and the islands became part of the Japanese Empire. The Japanese established military bases and airfields on the islands, and the US conducted a series of attacks on the islands during World War II.
After the war, the Marshall Islands came under US control as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, which also included other island groups such as Palau and Micronesia. The US conducted nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands between 1946 and 1958, causing significant environmental and health impacts on the local population.
Independence Once Again
In the 1970s, the RMI began to move towards self-governance, and in 1986, the country gained independence under a Compact of Free Association with the United States. The Compact provides for defense, economic assistance, and other forms of cooperation between the RMI and the US.