Marshall Islands

A new outdoor mural in downtown Springdale created by Marshallese native Helmar Anitok celebrates indigenous Marshallese culture.

Tens of thousands of citizens from the Republic of the Marshall Islands have legally migrated to the U.S., many now settled in northwest Arkansas. Islanders are free to do so under a special U.S./RMI Compact of Free Association. When the second compact expired in September, Congress extended bilateral negotiations, which were finalized in mid-October. The renewed compact, however, fails to include requested compensation for damages wrought by U.S. nuclear weapons tests on the Marshall Islands during the Cold War.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands, est population 41,000, was among the last nations on Earth to remain free of COVID-19, after closing borders against the global pandemic. That changed August 8th. A team of U.S. based Marshallese medical providers, including Arkansas physician Dr. Sheldon Riklon, traveled to the RMI to respond to the outbreak in cooperation with RMI medical providers, with PPE supplied by U.S. Marshallese migrants.

On today's show, the Republic of the Marshall Islands was one the last places to remain COVID free. On Aug. 8 that changed. Plus, pre-integration professional basketball, stories behind the art and music, and much more.

Republic of the Marshall Islands President David Kabua spent several days in Northwest Arkansas late last week, hosted by Arkansas Marshallese Consul General Eldon Alik. On Saturday, the RMI President met with constituents at Manit Day, a traditional cultural gathering at Jones Center Community Park, where he spoke about pressing Marshallese politics, human rights and social justice issues.

A Marshallese Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day will take place Saturday evening in the Great Hall at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville.

A Marshallese Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day will take place Saturday evening in the Great Hall at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville.

Included in the $900 billion COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress in late December is the restoration of Medicaid to Pacific Islanders legally…

Neal Palafox M.D. is a professor in the John Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center who has worked for over a quarter of a…

In part two of our report, we learn more about the CDC team's investigation into why a disproportionate number of Marshallese migrants in Arkansas have…