Since 2010 Dubuque’s Pacific Island population has increased by over 780%. Many of these new Dubuquers are from the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
While people have been living on the Marshall Islands for thousands of years, the current name was given to honor a British captain, John Marshall, who explored the region in 1788. American missionaries later arrived in the 1850s, converting much of the population to Christianity. The Americans were followed by German traders. Germany then annexed the Islands in 1885, but they were replace by Japan at the beginning of World War I.
During World War II, the United States captured the islands from Japan and the US soldiers were greeted as liberators. Two years later the US capitalized on this good will when seeking permission to test nuclear weapons there. From 1946 to 1958, the US conducted 67 nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands, including the largest nuclear test ever conducted. The tests completely vaporized some islands and left enormous craters in others in addition to showering the area with radiation. By 1956, the United States Atomic Energy Commission considered the Marshall Islands to be “ by far the most contaminated place in the world.”
In the decades that followed the tests, the Marshallese have seen higher-than-normal rates of radiation-related illnesses and birth defects. The US made some attempt to compensate the inhabitants Under the Compact of Free Association which began in 1986, though this agreement was also self-serving. The agreement gave the US military unilateral defense access to the area in exchange for providing defense, funding, and food aid. In addition, it allowed residents of the islands to relocate to the US and to receive health coverage under Medicaid. This last provision was lost in the welfare reform package in 1996 but restored recently as part of a COVID-19 relief bill.
Many Marshallese have come to the US under the Compact of Free Association agreement. The first Marshallese families to come to Dubuque actually came in the 1970s before the agreement in order to attend the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. Soon relatives followed and the community grew. Since the compact, Marshallese have continued to come to be with family, access healthcare, and for education and employment.
The Marshallese have a rich culture and are very communal. Day-to-day tasks like cooking, childcare, and transportation are often shared. Family is essential. Many significant cultural events center on family life like weddings and funerals. However, perhaps the most important family celebration in Marshallese culture is a child’s first birthday, or kemem. Historically, many infants died before their first year so the kemem is a celebration of survival and hope for a long and happy life.
Religion is also continues to be an extremely important part of the culture; there are now several Marshallese churches in Dubuque. Christmas is a particularly significant celebration, as is Gospel Day, observed on the first Friday of December to commemorate the arrival of Christian missionaries to the islands in 1857.
Another key celebration is Constitution Day, or Jemenei, on May 1, marking the Marshall Islands becoming an independent republic in 1979. The Marshallese community in Dubuque generally has a large public celebration each year with a parade, traditional dances and food, and sports competitions.
Today climate change is bringing a new threat to the Marshall Islands. Frequent flooding from rising seas results in costly damage and endangers freshwater supplies. If the planet’s temperatures continue to rise, low-lying island nations like the Marshall Island could disappear completely. More Marshallese are having to flee their homes. Many may also end up in Dubuque.
The theme for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this May is “Bridging Histories, Shaping Our Future.” This is an appropriate theme under which to consider Dubuque's Marshallese community. As they continue to grow and evolve, their story serves as a testament to the power of adaptation and community resilience. To learn more about the Marshall Islands click on the book covers pictured here. Also check out our Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month book display on the Library's main floor.
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