Marshallese people in Springdale, Arkansas

Last updated

There is a population of Marshallese people in Northwest Arkansas, concentrated in Springdale.

Contents

Marshallese citizens are eligible to stay in Arkansas due to the Compact of Free Association. [1] Photographer Lawrence Sumulong stated that this is the largest concentration of ethnic Marshallese in the United States. [2]

The community has the nickname "Springdale atoll". [3]

History

A "push factor" from the Marshall Islands were nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll. [2]

In the 1970s a Marshallese man named John Moody attended a university in the state of Oklahoma, [4] and then in the 1980s got employment at a Tyson Chicken factory in the area. Other Marshallese followed him after he told them there was ample employment in the area. [5] By the 1990s the area became known as the "Springdale atoll", and the a plaque honoring Moody was installed in 1999. [6]

By 2010 there were about 6,000 people in the Northwest Arkansas region who were of Marshallese ancestry, heavily concentrated in Springdale and beginning to settle other cities. [4] Circa 2020 the entire state of Arkansas had about 15,000 people, with most of them in Northwest Arkansas, of origins from the Marshall Islands. [7] Those of Marshallese ancestry were about 3% of the total number of people living in Northwest Arkansas in 2020. [8]

As of December 2020, the Marshallese population had higher than average deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic in Arkansas. [7] As of June 2020, half of the people in Northwest Arkansas who died from COVID were of Marshallese ancestry. [8]

In 2021 there was a movement to have the state laws allow Marshallese citizens to be eligible to begin working as law enforcement officers. A previous proposal in the Arkansas Legislature by Megan Godfrey of Springdale, House Bill 1342, was to allow any person of a citizen of a Compact of Free Association country (which includes the Marshall Islands) to be eligible to join a police department. That year the bill failed in committee. [9] Members of the Arkansas Legislature stated they had plans to try a bill again. [10] That year the Arkansas Department of Public Safety stated that the agency could unilaterally change its rules and begin allowing Marshallese citizens to become police officers. [11]

Education

Circa 2014, the Springdale School District had about 2,000 Marshallese students. Circa 2009 this figure was 300 total. [12] In 2012, 30% of the student body of Parson Hills Elementary School consisted of Marshallese students. The school enacted a cultural education program and donated alarm clocks to Marshallese families to combat truancy issues among Marshallese. [5]

Economy

As of 2018 there are Marshallese grocery stores and fundraising events selling prepared items of Marshallese cuisine. Marshallese people also import food items from the Marshall Islands into Arkansas for personal use. At that time no dedicated restaurants serving such cuisine were in Springdale. [13]

Government

By 2010 the Springdale Police Department got its first officer fluent in Marshallese. [4]

The Marshallese government maintains a consulate general in Springdale. It is the only Marshallese consulate in the Mainland United States. [3] In 2017 Eldon Alik became consul general. [14]

Healthcare

Marshallese children began to have eligibility for the ArKids First health care coverage due to work by Jeff Williams, a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives. In 2020 there were plans to put Marshallese citizens back on Medicaid. Asa Hutchinson, Governor of Arkansas, supported this move. [7]

In 2016, within the State of Arkansas, 21.4% of the ethnic Marshallese people had pre-diabetes and 46.5% of the adults of Marshallese ancestry had Type II Diabetes. [15]

Religion

The majority of the Marshallese population, as of 2010, attend church worship services. [4]

Media

There is a radio station for the community, KMRW. [16]

Recreation

Marshall Islands Constitution Day is celebrated in Springdale. [17] There is also a yearly festival meant to showcase Marshallese culture to the Springdale community, "Stroll the Atolls." [18]

In literature

By 2018, the University of Arkansas had engaged in multiple research programs related to this community. [19] [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marshall Islands</span> Country near the equator in the Pacific Ocean

The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands, is an island country west of the International Date Line and north of the equator in the Micronesia region in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. The territory consists of 29 coral atolls and five islands, divided across two island chains: Ratak in the east and Ralik in the west. 97.87% of its territory is water, the largest proportion of water to land of any sovereign state. The country shares maritime boundaries with Wake Island to the north, Kiribati to the southeast, Nauru to the south, and the Federated States of Micronesia to the west. The capital and largest city is Majuro, home to approximately half of the country's population.

The demographics of the Marshall Islands include data such as population density, ethnicity, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington County, Arkansas</span> County in Arkansas, United States

Washington County is a regional economic, educational, and cultural hub in the Northwest Arkansas region. Created as Arkansas's 17th county on November 30, 1848, Washington County has 13 incorporated municipalities, including Fayetteville, the county seat, and Springdale. The county is also the site of small towns, bedroom communities, and unincorporated places. The county is named for George Washington, the first President of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bethel Heights, Arkansas</span> City in Arkansas, United States

Bethel Heights was a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. Always a small, sparsely populated community, the region coalesced around a school named Bethel in the late 19th century but did not incorporate until 1967 to avoid annexation by larger neighboring communities. The town offered police and fire protection and wastewater service to residents, but sent students to Springdale Public Schools and purchased water from Springdale Water Utilities. By the 21st century, Northwest Arkansas was gaining population rapidly, and Bethel Heights reincorporated as a city and grew from a population of 714 in 2000 to 2,372 at the 2010 census. Growth put pressure on the city's subsurface discharge wastewater treatment system, and following a series of wastewater treatment plant violations, voters dissolved the city and completely annexed into Springdale in August 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Springdale, Arkansas</span> City in Arkansas, United States

Springdale is the 4th most populous city in Arkansas, United States. It is located in both Washington and Benton counties in Northwest Arkansas. Located on the Springfield Plateau deep in the Ozark Mountains, Springdale has long been an important industrial city for the region. In addition to several trucking companies, the city is home to the world headquarters of Tyson Foods, the world's largest meat producing company. Originally named Shiloh, the city changed its name to Springdale when applying for a post office in 1872. It is included in the four-county Northwest Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is ranked 102nd in terms of population in the United States with 546,725 in 2020 according to the United States Census Bureau. The city had a population of 84,161 at the 2020 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kwajalein Atoll</span> Atoll in the Marshall Islands

Kwajalein Atoll is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island, which its majority English-speaking residents often use the shortened name, Kwaj. The total land area of the atoll amounts to just over 6 square miles (16 km2). It lies in the Ralik Chain, 2,100 nautical miles southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rongelap Atoll</span> Coral atoll in the Marshall Islands

Rongelap AtollRONG-gə-lap is an uninhabited coral atoll of 61 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ralik Chain of the Marshall Islands. Its total land area is 8 square miles (21 km2). It encloses a lagoon with an area of 1,000 square miles (2,600 km2). It is historically notable for its close proximity to US hydrogen bomb tests in 1954, and was particularly devastated by fallout from the Castle Bravo test. The population asked the US to move them from Rongelap following the test due to high radiation levels with no success so they asked global environmental group Greenpeace to help. The Rainbow Warrior made four trips moving the islanders, their possessions and their homes to Majeto 180kms away.

Pacific Islander Americans are Americans who are of Pacific Islander ancestry. For its purposes, the United States census also counts Aboriginal Australians as part of this group.

Springdale Public Schools is the public school district for students of primary and secondary education in Springdale, Arkansas and surrounding areas. The district contains three high schools, four junior highs, four middle schools, eighteen elementary schools, and a school of innovation. Established in 1884, the district and its schools are accredited by AdvancED. It is the state's largest school district, with more than 23,000 students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Litokwa Tomeing</span> Former President of the Marshall Islands

Iroij Litokwa Tomeing was the President of the Marshall Islands from January 2008 until October 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marshall Islands–United States relations</span> Bilateral relations

Marshall Islands–United States relations are bilateral relations between Marshall Islands and the United States.

Japanese settlement in the Marshall Islands was spurred on by Japanese trade in the Pacific region. The first Japanese explorers arrived in the Marshall Islands in the late 19th century, although permanent settlements were not established until the 1920s. As compared to other Micronesian islands in the South Seas Mandate, there were fewer Japanese who settled in the islands. After the Japanese surrender in 1945, the Japanese populace were repatriated to Japan, although people of mixed Japanese–Marshallese heritage remained behind. They form a sizeable minority in the Marshall Islands' populace, and are well represented in the corporate, public and political sectors in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Har-Ber High School</span> School in Springdale, Arkansas, United States

Har-Ber High School is a comprehensive public high school for grades ten through twelve serving the community of Springdale, Arkansas, United States. Har-Ber High School is the one of three high schools managed in Washington County by Springdale Public Schools; others being Springdale High School, and the Don Tyson School of Innovation. The school was established in 2005.

Marshallese Americans are Americans of Marshallese descent or Marshallese people naturalized in the United States. According to the 2010 census, 22,434 people of Marshallese origin lived in the United States at that time, though that number has likely grown significantly over the last decade. A recent estimate puts the number at approximately 30,000 in 2018. The United States has the highest concentration of Marshallese people outside the Marshall Islands. Most of these Marshallese people live in Hawaii and Arkansas, with significant populations in Washington, California, Oklahoma and Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kabua the Great</span>

Kabua the Great, also Kabua Laplap, was a Marshallese iroij whom the German Empire recognized as the king of the Marshall Islands. From 1863 until his death in 1910, he claimed to be the paramount chief, or iroijlaplap, of the Ralik Chain, though his cousin Loiak also claimed the title. Kabua worked with western missionaries and copra traders to expand his wealth and political power. He was also one of the several Marshallese iroij to sign treaties with the German Empire, first granting Germans exclusive trading rights in the Marshalls in 1878 and then legitimizing German annexation of the islands as a protectorate in 1885. The German treaties recognized Kabua as King of the Marshall Islands, though the German anthropologist Augustin Krämer noted that "Kabua is king only by the grace of the Germans."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate change in the Marshall Islands</span>

Climate change in the Marshall Islands is a major issue for the country. As with many countries made up of low-lying islands, the Marshall Islands is highly vulnerable to sea level rise and other impacts of climate change. The atoll and capital city of Majuro are particularly vulnerable, and the issue poses significant implications for the country's population. These threats have prompted Marshallese political leaders to make climate change a key diplomatic issue, who have responded with initiatives such as the Majuro Declaration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megan Godfrey</span> American politician

Megan Cardwell Godfrey is an American educator and politician who served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from the 89th district from 2019 to 2023. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marshallese cuisine</span>

Marshallese cuisine comprises the fare, foods, beverages and foodways of the Marshall Islands, including its food-related customs and traditions. Common indigenous and traditional foods include breadfruit, coconut, bananas, papaya, seafood, pandanus and bwiro. Additional imported foods, such as rice and flour, are also a part of people's diets and contribute to the cuisine as well. The practice of food preservation is a part of the history of the islands, and continues to occur today.

Marshallese nationality law is regulated by the Marshallese Constitution of 1979, as amended; the 1984 Citizenship Act of the Marshall Islands, and its revisions; and international agreements entered into by the Marshallese government. These laws determine who is, or is eligible to be, a national of the Marshall Islands. The legal means to acquire nationality, formal membership in a nation, differ from the domestic relationship of rights and obligations between a national and the nation, known as citizenship. Marshallese nationality is typically obtained either on the principle of jus soli, i.e. by birth in the Marshall Islands or under the rules of jus sanguinis, i.e. by birth abroad to parents with Marshallese nationality. It can be granted to persons with an affiliation to the country, or to a permanent resident who has lived in the country for a given period of time through naturalization.

Clint Penzo is an American politician and businessman serving as a member of the Arkansas Senate representing the Springdale area. He previously served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2017 to 2023.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Chen, p. 3.
  2. 1 2 Dickerman, Kenneth (2021-01-22). "Forced out of their homes by years of U.S. nuclear testing, the Marshallese diaspora has spread to Springdale, Ark". The Washington Post . Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  3. 1 2 Perry, Nick; Kissell, Kelly (2015-11-27). "Arkansas a refuge from rising seas in Marshall Islands". Associated Press . Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Craft, Dan (2010-12-29). "Marshallese Migration". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette . Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  5. 1 2 Schulte, Bret (2012-07-04). "For Pacific Islanders, Hopes and Troubles in Arkansas". The New York Times . Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  6. ↑ Robinson, Sam (May 2018). EMPOWERING U.S. MARSHALLESE STUDENTS TO ENGAGEMENT AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN LEARNING (PDF). University of North Texas. p. 28 (PDF p. 35/117).
  7. 1 2 3 Thompson, Doug (2022-12-22). "Marshallese are poised to regain health benefits". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette . Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  8. 1 2 Golden, Alex; Thompson, Doug (14 June 2020). "Marshallese contracting, dying from covid-19 at disproportionate rate". Arkansas Democrat Gazette . Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  9. ↑ Herzog, Rachel (2021-02-09). "Bill allowing Marshallese as peace officers rejected". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette . Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  10. ↑ Thompson, Doug (2021-02-05). "Lawmakers vow re-try on allowing Marshallese lawmen". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette . Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  11. ↑ Thompson, Doug (2021-02-18). "A rule change will allow Marshallese into local police, state confirms". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette . Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  12. ↑ Coppock, Mike (2014-09-28). "Enid schools work with a different minority group -- Marshall Islanders". The Oklahoman . Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  13. ↑ Chen, p. 4 (PDF p. 11/303).
  14. ↑ Froelich, Jacqueline (2017-10-02). "New RMI Consul General Takes Helm in Springdale". KUAF . Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  15. ↑ Chen, p. 5 (PDF p. 12/303).
  16. ↑ "This Arkansas radio station became a hub for people from the Marshall Islands". NBC News . 19 July 2017.
  17. ↑ Joenks, Laurinda (2017-05-25). "Marshallese community celebrates independence". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette . Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  18. ↑ Hooper, Monica (2022-07-08). "'Stroll the Atolls' In Springdale Offers Glimpse Of Marshallese Culture". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette . Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  19. ↑ Chen, p. 8 (PDF p. 15/303).
  20. ↑ "Three candidates compete in Arkansas House race for new majority Hispanic district | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette". 27 September 2022.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.