Ozarks ri-Ṃajeļ is a special four-part Listening Lab/KUAF Public Radio multimedia series, produced in partnership with the Marshallese Educational Initiative, revealing how waves of legally present Marshallese migrants have navigated new lives on the Arkansas Ozarks over the past thirty years.
Carmen
Carmen Samual Chong Gum served as first Consul General of the Republic of the Marshall Islands in the Springdale, Arkansas Consulate from 2008 until 2017. Chong Gum currently works at University of Arkansas for Medical Science Institute for Community Health and Innovation as an outreach specialist. She was present when the first significant waves of Marshallese migrants arrived in northwest Arkansas.
Benetick Kabua Maddison discusses the long-term consequences of 67 U.S. atomic and thermonuclear weapons tests detonated on the Marshall Islands during the Cold War. He also delves into how Marshall Islanders are reckoning with looming impacts of climate change on their shallow ocean archipelago. Maddison serves as Executive Director of the Marshallese Educational Initiative, traveling the globe educating policymakers, diplomats and the public about his peoples' plight.
Benetik
Dr. Sheldon Riklon discusses managing the complex health care challenges of Ozarks ri-Ṃajeļs as a result of foreign colonization and lingering radiation caused by U.S. Cold War nuclear weapons testing on the Marshall Islands. Riklon is a Family Medicine Physician, formally based in Hawaii, who joined University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest faculty in August 2016. He divides his time between the Family Medicine Residency Program in the UAMS Office of Research and Community Health and the nonprofit Community Clinic in Springdale where he serves Marshallese patients.
Dr. Riklon
MARK Harmony
Our theme for Ozarks ri-Ṃajeļ was sung by Marshallese ensemble MARK Harmony in the studios of KUAF. KUAF News Reporter, Sopha Nourani interviewed Mark Harmony, an eclectic reggae-style band which formed in 2018. Featured are Marshallese-Americans Matthew Meath John, age 19, who is a singer and composer; Arsi Jr. Lokot age 18, guitarist and singer; Raygon Jacklick, age 18 who also sings; and 24 year old Marshallese native Kairo Langrus who sings and performs on guitar, ukelele, piano and percussion. MARK Harmony's mission to raise cultural awareness of Marshallese people and the Marshall Islands.
About Ozarks ri-Ṃajeļ
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Ozarks ri-Ṃajeļ was made possible by KUAF contributing listeners. Make a donation to your public radio station by visiting our membership page.
Thank you.
Ozarks ri-Ṃajeļ was also made possible with the assistance of the nonprofit Marshallese Educational Initiative https://www.mei.ngo headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, where the highest concentration of Marshallese natives reside outside of Republic of the Marshall Islands. MEI was founded in July 2013 by non-Marshallese educators and Marshallese community members to raise awareness of Marshallese history and culture, blending academic research with community outreach. MEI also serves the interests of many thousands of ri-Ṃajeļ residing in the tri-state region.