Essays on the Marshallese Past
The women of Majuro, from Laura to Zelda |
There is many an apocryphal tale or urban myth floating around in this world. Everybody who tells this tale asserts that it happened to a friend of a friend of his/her, often believing this assertion, and thereby perpetuating the myth.
Modern folklore in the
Debunking modern myths makes one feel like a spoil-sport, some misogynist who is not prepared to let people have their fun. But the moment the myth becomes ingrained in the belief of a population, the moment it becomes "fact" and school children are taught the myth instead of the historic reality, it is time to take issue and to set the historic record straight.
The saga of the naming of the islands on
When Operation Flintlock, the taking of
A complete list of these code names is presented as a table below. This table shows the common western spelling of the name, as it found on most maps, the new
For people who are good at names it may become obvious that some names rather common in the 1930s have been omitted from that list, although they fall between L and Z. The reason for this omission was that these code-names were already in use to identify Japanese aircraft common in the Central Pacific Theatre of War, and the use of these codes for islands on Majuro could have led to confusion. Names such as Mavis (the Kawanishi H6K Flying Boat) or Sally (the Mitsubishi Ki-21 Heavy Bomber) come to mind.
It needs also to be remembered that the codename Laura applied to the entire single uninterrupted landmass, that is from
But what about the original name for
This aspect needs some more elaboration. If one has a look at the map of the atolls of the
Common Name | Kajin MajālName | U.S. Navy Name |
Ajeltake | Ajeltake | - |
Woja | Wāja | ->Laura |
Arrak | Arrak | - |
Majuro | MØjro | ž |
Ajokowola | AjolØ | Leona |
Bwokwalijimwa | BokwwØ-Lijmwa | Lena |
llene | Ileel-en | - |
Jeloklap | ŧnen-rilik | ->Lillian |
Jelte | ŧne-kallep | ž |
Anejabwaru | ŧne-debokut | Linda |
Enerebakut | ŧne-jabaru | Lois |
Rongron | ŧnen-reaar | Loraine |
Aneju | ŧne-ju | Loretta |
Bwokwtoona | Bokwa-tuon-al | Lottie |
Boken | Bok-en | Lowena |
Irooj | Irooj | Lucille |
Calalin | Kālal-en | -_Luella |
Allokan | Ellākan | ž |
Anemakj | ŧne-makij | Mabel |
? | åaanke | Madeline |
Anekotkot | ŧne-kātkāt | Mae |
Bokaitoktok | Bok-aitoktok | Madge |
Lobikaere | Lo-pikaere | Maggie |
Eninurij | ŧneen-wådej | Marjorie |
Kolok | Kilāk | Marbella |
Kideren | Kiden-en | Margaret |
Bwokwalokaajlo | BokwØ-ākāmlā | Marie |
Enigu | ŧne-ko | Marilyn |
Bikendik | Pikān-dik | Martha |
Bikenlibw | Pikān-lip | Martena |
Bwuron | Båruān | Mary |
Bakajij | Pik-ajaj | Maureen |
Leblon | āplon | Mayme |
Bokallab | Bok-āllap | Midge |
Leblan | Lijebāro | Minne |
Enebararo | Pikden | Mitzi |
Bikirin | Bok | Molly |
Enumanet | ŧne-manāt | Myrna |
Enekelamur | ŧne-kolamur | Nancy |
Denmeo | DØnemeo | Nellie |
Bokeril | BokwØ-del | -_Nina |
Bokenmak | Bokwan-mak | ž |
Bokiur | Bok-iur | Norma |
Bokmej | Bok-meej | Olive |
Bokonboten | Bokwan-bātin | Pamela |
Bokelijekia | BokwØlikiar | Patsy |
Kemman | Keemman | Poppy |
Bokelatule | BokwØ-atulik | Paula |
Rierej | Didej | -_Peggy |
Common Name | Kajin MajālName | U.S. Navy Name |
Anil | Anel | ž |
Garra | KārØ | Phyllis |
Ejit | ŧjej | Priscilla |
Anearmej | ŧne-armej | Pryde |
Pegerian | Pikeel-ea~ | Rhoda |
Djarrit | Jarāj | Rita |
Uliga | Wålka | Rosalie |
Enilegere | ŧne-likāre | Ruby |
Biggariat | Pikādat | Ruth |
Delap | Telap | Salome |
Utwe | Utwe | Sheila |
Robotin | obotin | -_ Sherry |
Enirak | ŧnedik | ž |
Bikielobo | Båkielābo | Simone |
? | MØjpin | Sylvia |
? | Eoonmaaj | Tess |
Rairok | Rairāk | Theresa |
ditto. | ditto. | Tootsie |
ditto. | ditto. | Victoria |
Anenlibw | ŧnen-elip | Vina |
? | ? | Virginia |
? | ? | Vivian |
Lokojbar | Lā-kājbar | Zazu |
Lejemwa | ājemwØ | Zelda |
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