Environmentalism in Iep Jaltok: Poems From a Marshallese Daughter
Pacific-Islander and Native communities have historically been victims of economic and environmental exploitation, at the hands of global superpowers such as the United States. Additionally, their collective cultural identities have been continually degraded by the loss of their land. Through an examination of Iep Jāltok, a collection of poems, I would like to explore the ways in which the Marshall Islands have been subject to exploitation. Furthermore, I’d like to examine how the book’s author, Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner, utilizes poetry, ethos, and empathy to encourage readers to join Pacific-Islanders in environmental activism endeavors.
Jetñil-Kijiner’s poetry seeks to humanize environmental activism and shed light on the injustices her people are currently facing through the personification of societal issues. By challenging ignorance and indifference, Jetñil-Kijiner hopes to inspire the everyday people to stop ignoring the environmental crisis that many Pacific Islanders are currently facing and, instead, fight to help save their land.
Iep Jāltok is split into four sections, each with its own purpose. Although not explicitly stated, the purpose of each section can be inferred by its consistent throughlines and themes and overlapping subject matter amongst poems.
Section One: Iep Jāltok
Jetñil-Kijiner spends the first section of Iep Jāltok writing about many Marshallese legends and deities. The decision to begin her book by providing cultural context demonstrates, Jetñil-Kijiner’s desire to portray environmentalism through a Marshallese perspective. Throughout this section, readers come to understand that, for the Marshallese people, nature is not simply a static element of the environment, but an integral aspect of their identities. The narratives of their origins include various religious figures who inhabit every facet of nature. Therefore, readers understand that their interaction with the land is more than just the consumption of resources; it is, instead, a mystical and emotional exchange with the deities that gave the Marshallese people life and gifted them the land they currently reside in.
In Iep Jāltok, poetry is utilized to demonstrate the Marshallese people’s relationship with the land. Jetñil-Kijiner describes how Marshallese deities are more than just mere folklore, but the living embodiment of the nature that constructs the island. In the poem “Liwātuonmour”, Jetñil-Kijiner describes two goddesses as being born “by fire and sea” and “glaring from the westward sun” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 8). Furthermore, they “shaped the sounds of midday and dusk” and “found the words inside…the stars and waves” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 8). Vivid descriptions, such as these, show how Jetñil-Kijiner employs poetry to portray that, for the Marshallese people, their land is not simply made up of lifeless ocean currents or the empty rising and setting of the sun. Nature goes beyond what meets the eye and its occurrences are not merely scientific. They are sacred happenings that reflect their religion and carry emotional significance due to their association with the actions of their deities.
Jetñil-Kijiner chooses to incorporate a Western perspective in the poem in the form of Dr. Rife, a missionary who claimed that the deity Liwatunmour, which resided in a stone at the shore, was nothing more than a collection of rocks (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 8). In other words, nature did not hold any goddesses and was simply a lifeless construction of the environment. The poem concludes with Dr. Rife throwing Liwātuonmour’s stone body into the ocean and her sister, Lidepdepju responds by destroying the reef and the Marshallese people because of their supposed sin (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 8). I believe that Jetñil-Kijiner incorporated this anecdote to illustrate how foreign Westerns often disturb nature, disrespect customs, and degrade environments in order to push their own ways of thinking on native populations. Furthermore, native populations are often the ones to pay the price for not being able to protect their environments from foreign invasion or destruction. The so-called destruction of reefs and the Marshallese people is a possible allusion to the rising temperatures and subsequent rising of ocean levels which are gradually submerging the island. Jetñil-Kijiner’s poem “Liwātuonmour” shows how Westerners often arrive at Pacific-Island populations, disrupt their way of life, and then leave them to deal with the consequences without taking responsibility for the destruction they’ve caused.
Another example of this difference in mindset can be seen in Jetñil-Kijiner’s description of how the sail came to be. Typically, In Anglo-Saxon narratives, the sail is depicted as an amazing scientific innovation, a result of mankind’s tenacity and capacity for invention. However, in section two of the poem, “Lōktan̄ūr,” the sail is said to be created by a goddess as a gift to her son (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 6). This, once again, shows how the Marshallese people and Westerners hold different mindsets pertaining to the environment. For Westerns, the land is a gift from God, ordained for them and meant to be used, manifested, and manipulated any way they see fit. In section one of Iep Jāltok, Jetñil-Kijiner makes a conscious choice to depict how nature and Marshallese culture are deeply interwoven. For them, interaction with the land reflects the relationship the people have with their religious deities. Therefore, they treat the land humbly and with respect.
Jetñil-Kijiner addresses the ideological difference between Westerners and Pacific Islanders in an article she wrote that appears on the website Climate Change News. In its introduction, she talks about how when speaking with an interviewer he “wanted to know — why? Why would losing our land be so devastating?” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Why don’t). To Jetñil-Kijiner, the answer was obvious: the land is the Marshallese people’s home. The interviewer then said the following: “his audience — mainly Americans — might not understand the value of land to our identity and culture. Some might say that we could just pick up and move somewhere else if we lost it. Why would that be so hard? Could I explain it?” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Why don’t). This interaction represents how American audiences do not have a special connection to the land — for them, all land is the same. Therefore, from their perspective, the Marshallese people losing their homeland is not detrimental to their existence. However, the interviewer’s request also showcases a lack of empathy from American audiences. They are unable or unwilling to see the precarious nature of global warming from the Marshallese people’s point of view. Instead, they chose to turn a blind eye and remain ignorant to the magnitude of climate change as well as the present harm it is causing Pacific Island populations.
In the article, Jetñil-Kijiner also provides further insight into the poem, “Liwātuonmour.” She gives more background for the goddesses, writing about how “Liwātuonmour and Lidepdepju were sisters who came to the Marshall Islands from Ep, thousands of years ago. They were pillars of basalt stone who birthed the clans and the Irooj (chiefly) line” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Why don’t). However, when missionaries came to the island, one of them, a Protestant man named Dr.Rife threw the stone body of Liwātuonmour into the ocean in order to “stamp out pagan practices” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Why don’t). This is, yet again, another example of how Americans impose their own thoughts and ideas on native populations under the guise of moral righteousness. These actions often disrupt crucial elements of native culture such as religion and history through the destruction of nature.
In the poem following “Liwātuonmour,” entitled “Lidepdepju,” Jetñil-Kijiner opens with the lines, “let me take you out to see Lidepdepju” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 9). This opening functions as a way of drawing the reader in. Instead of viewing Lidepdepju from an impersonal or scientific way, such as through an article or series of images online, Jetñil-Kijiner’s choice of words invites the reader to journey with her and have an authentic and interactive experience with the rock formation and, by extension, the goddess. This is a technique utilized by Jetñil-Kijiner all throughout Iep Jāltok to encourage empathy and prompt audiences to see environmentalism through a Pacific-Islander lens.
Throughout the rest of the poem, Jetñil-Kijiner makes numerous references to nature and how it’s interwoven and integral to life and culture on the island. She leads the reader through “overgrown leaves winding / breadfruit trees and twisting pandanus” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 9). Once again, Jetñil-Kijiner is characterizing the land beyond just another generic island; the Marshall Islands are full of life and made up of a specific blend of flora and fauna. After reading descriptions such as these, audiences are more likely to see the Marshall Islands as a distinct nation rooted in specific imagery.
The poem ends with gifts being offered to the goddess, Lidepdepju as the people search for guidance and strength while they sharpen their spears for war. This shows that the Marshallese people are not voiceless and complacent. They are actively trying to connect with the land and save their island from being overcome. They are pushing back against the doom that the rest of the world sees in their future.
In the article, Jetñil-Kijiner discusses her own experiences with meeting Lidepdepju. She describes how she saw nothing more than “a pile of rocks” and that she “left, feeling a bit underwhelmed ” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Why don’t). In order to truly understand the importance of the rock formation, she interviewed four elders who explained what the rocks meant to them. Alfred Capelle, a Marshallese historian, linguist, and cultural expert said the stones were important for two reasons. Firstly, they provided permanence; the rocks seen by ancestors were the same ones eventually viewed by their descendants. Seeing the same landmarks from generation to generation provides a shared history and sense of connection that defies the barriers of time (Jetñil-Kijiner, Why don’t). However, Jetñil-Kijiner also notes that future generations may not see these rock formations because of climate change. One of the overall points being made here is that the continuation of climate change would result in the island becoming inhospitable and the relocation of its people. The Marshallese people would lose their connection to the land of their ancestors and, ultimately, a crucial aspect of their identity as a people. The second reason the rock formation was important was that the stones were more than just imagined spirits. As Jetñil-Kijiner said, “they are tangible. They are real. They live in the waves and our ancestors sharpened their spears on their bodies” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Why don’t). These rocks are not just rocks; they are living embodiments that house the stories and spirit of the Marshallese people.
In the article, Jetñil-Kijiner also explores how storytelling plays a crucial role in the identity of the Marshallese people. She says, “our islands are full of stories like these…stories that explain the spirit of a coral, how a lagoon was shaped, how a grove of pandanus trees was born…origin stories that establish a relationship between land and people. A relationship of mutual respect. There are no stories where the mother, the land, is slaughtered so that the people satisfy their greed — at least not without punishment. Greed is punishable. Greed is remembered” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Why don’t). Here, Jetñil-Kijiner makes the difference in ideologies clear. Western ideologies regarding the land are dictated by greed, in which people scramble to conquer as much territory as possible and constantly seek more power and influence by controlling the land. Success and accomplishment are seen as more important than preserving the land; sacrificing nature is a necessary evil for the expansion of man. On the other hand, the Marshallese people see themselves as having a reciprocal relationship with the land. Nature is an entity that should be respected and protected. If the people fail to do so, they are punished.
Here readers might begin to understand why the incorporation of Pacific-Islander perspectives is so crucial in environmental activism. For other cultures, the destruction of the land is a natural consequence of a society’s growth. They may try to minimize this damage, however, economic gain and expansion are still prioritized over nature. However, for communities such as the Marshallese, their physical proximity and religious ties to the land mean that the exploitation of nature comes with major consequences. Instead of the detached scientific approach of many Westerns, environmentalist efforts impact every aspect of the Marshallese people’s lives. Since failure to protect the environment comes with more immediate consequences, Pacific-Islander and Native communities have a greater understanding of what’s at stake if environmental efforts fail.
In her article, Jetñil-Kijiner also makes mention of the phrase “the land has eyes’’ and discusses a Marshallese chant that also appears in the final lines of the poem “Liwātuonmour” in which it is said that Lidedepju is destroying the Marshallese people and their canoes as a punishment for their sin (Jetñil-Kijiner, Why don’t). To the Marshallese people, the land is an animate entity that can respond to the environmental destruction that it’s subjected to. Unfortunately, it is the Marshallese people that must pay the price for negative foreign influence on their land and ocean.
As the article comes to a close, Jetñil-Kijiner notes that “climate scientists have been warning that catastrophe will hit if humans do not make radical changes to our lifestyles of consumption and greed. The world will turn on us” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Why don’t). However, she also points out that this is something that indigenous peoples have been saying for a long time. Because of their close reciprocal relationship with nature, indigenous peoples are more attuned to shifts in the environment and more likely to take these shifts seriously than Westerners who soldier forward in the name of scientific achievement and the advancement of mankind.
Jetñil-Kijiner concludes the article by saying, “Indigenous people are trotted forward as mouthpieces, mined for their wisdom, highlighted for their tragedies, and then shoved to the back of the line” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Why don’t). This shows how Western populations incorporate Indigenous peoples’ insight in environmental efforts but do little in terms of actual activism, leaving them to deal with the negative fallout issues such as rising ocean levels and global warming on their own. It’s also important to note that Jetñil-Kijiner says, “Pacific Islanders and indigenous peoples play an important role in the climate movement as well… We are here to remind others, industrialized nations, leaders, major industries, that the earth has always been alive — that the land has eyes. It remembers” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Why don’t). This provides an important background as to Jetñil-Kijiner’s purpose for writing Iep Jāltok. Indigenous stories are more than just fanciful folklore or mystical legends. They provide an important perspective in a conversation filled with industry leaders that are motivated by greed and the utilization of the land. By seeing environmentalism from an indigenous perspective, people might be able to better understand the negative consequences of harming nature.
Section Two: History Project
In the next section of Iep Jāltok, entitled History Project, Jetñil-Kijiner explores the various ways that the Marshallese people have fallen victim to foreign exploitation and the negative effects this has had on their land. This section is significant because it makes it explicitly clear that the Marshallese Islands have suffered mistreatment at the hands of global superpowers. This is important within the context of environmentalism because it portrays the unequal power dynamics currently present. Historically, Pacific-Islander nations have been subjected to mistreatment; larger nations have utilized and abused their land while also showing no concern for its inhabitants. Therefore, by including the context of the poor treatment of Pacific Islanders in the past, Jetñil-Kijiner most likely hopes for readers to better understand the nature of the relationship between Pacific Islanders with Western nations in the present day.
In the poem that shares the section’s title, “History Project,” Jetñil-Kijiner tells the reader about a history project she did, at fifteen, researching the history of nuclear testing, performed by the United States, in the Marshallese Islands. Similar to Dr. Rife’s behavior in the poem Liwātuonmour, Americans act in a selfish and self-righteous manner. There are several examples of this including quotes from American leaders saying they don’t care about the fate of indigenous peoples who would be harmed by the nuclear testing, a boy with peeling skin standing beside an indifferent scientist, and nurses and marines happily enjoying the beach and its shores, all indifferent to the fate of the natives that reside there (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 20–21).
The inclusion of examples such as these helps construct a clear picture of how Westerners see indigenous populations as less than people and will, ultimately, sacrifice them for the sake of what they believe is a greater cause. Jetñil-Kijiner says as much by describing how her people were told that the dropping of nuclear bombs was “for the good of mankind” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 21). This phrase implies that the Marshallese people are not considered to be a part of this overall mankind; they are, instead, a small outlier that is sacrificed so that the dominant white culture can succeed. The Marshallese people and their land are used to further other people’s goals and, ultimately, encouraged and expected to comply.
Jetñil-Kijiner’s choice of language also depicts the nature of the relationship between indigenous peoples and the Westerners who come to exploit them. The usage of the words “to hand over our islands” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 21) shows how indigenous people are expected to complacently give their land and resources up to foreigners. Furthermore, it further confirms the idea that foreigners believe that land can be owned and controlled by individuals.
Jetñil-Kijiner’s utilization of precise and descriptive language is also evident in the lines “blast radioactive energy / into our sleepy coconut trees / our sagging breadfruit trees / our busy fishes…” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 21). Lines such as these illustrate the advantages of using poetry as a form of activism. By using distinct adjectives she is able to characterize and personify nature as an entity that is active and has agency. Scientific names can easily be skimmed over when listed on an endangered species list. However, by specifically describing the different types of flora and fauna as well as their personalities, Jetñil-Kijiner is presenting nature as alive and distinct. Therefore its destruction becomes akin to an actual death rather than an impersonal consumption of resources.
The predatory and unfair nature of America’s exploitation is made explicitly clear through Jetñil-Kijiner’s choice of language. She says, in her poem “History Project,” “like God’s just been / waiting / for my people / to vomit / all of humanity’s sins / onto impeccable white shores” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 21–22). The inclusion of lines such as these is to show how Jetñil-Kijiner’s people have been preyed upon and exploited for the accomplishment of other nations’ goals. The vomiting of sins on the shores shows how the Marshallese people are expected to sully and stain their own environment and culture by dealing with the consequences of the nuclear testing imposed on them by other nations.
Overall, the poem “History Project” demonstrates why Pacific-Islander perspectives are so important. By looking at environmentalism from their point of view we understand how nations, such as the United States, have abused environments and exploited native communities for personal gain. This challenges the dominant narrative that these larger nations are blameless individuals who are just trying to make the world a better place. By listening to the stories of Pacific-Islander, such as Jetñil-Kijiner, readers come to understand that larger nations have abused the environments of native populations and are more likely to empathize with the pain and injustice Pacific-Islanders feel. Ultimately, this empathy may evolve into activism which is the key to saving the Marshall Islands from being submerged as a result of rising sea levels.
Section Three: Lessons From Hawai’i
In the third section of Iep Jāltok, entitled Lessons From Hawaii, Jetñil-Kijiner explores how her immigration to Hawaii altered her perspective of the Marshall Islands. While in America, she learned how other people viewed her homeland and its inhabitants. Once again, by illustrating an American perspective Jetñil-Kijiner is shedding light on the lack of empathy shown by Westerners regarding Pacific-Island populations.
In the poem, titled “Flying to Makiki Street,” Jetñil-Kijiner describes her move from the Marshallese Islands to the United States. She specifically describes aspects of her environment that she’ll miss such as the sun, tin roofs, reefs, and her father chanting family histories (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 34). Including specific elements of her home has two effects, among many others. For one, readers are able to better understand just how intertwined the land is to the identity of the Marshallese people. The things Jetñil-Kijiner is mourning the loss of are deeply rooted in the nature and the culture of the island. The separation from her homeland is, in a sense, a form of cultural severance and death. Furthermore, by mentioning specific elements of her environment the Marshall Islands becomes more than just another Micronesian island. It is a physical place with distinct attributes. By including these details, the reader is prompted to visualize the Marshall Islands for what it is, instead of an imaginary, nondescript island that can easily be substituted for another.
The idea of the Micronesian islands being interchangeable is addressed in another poem, from the same section, titled “Lessons From Hawaii.” Jetñil-Kijiner points out how, the Marshall Islands, among other Micronesian countries are seen as “…small. / Tiny crumbs of islands…too many countries/cultures/nations no one / has heard about/cares about/too small / to notice” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 45). This illustrates how the Marshall Islands are not viewed as important. Just like in her earlier poem, “History Project,” Jetñil-Kijiner points out how the Marshallese people are seen as insignificant and their culture is easily disregarded. The ultimate consequence of this is that Westerners and the world at large become indifferent to the fate of the Marshallese people. Since they are viewed as unimportant it becomes easier for larger, more powerful countries to continue to make decisions that economically benefit themselves and environmentally harm the Marshallese people.
In the same poem, Jetñil-Kijiner also quotes some of the harmful headlines and statements she heard regarding the Marshallese people such as: “we shoulda jus nuked their islands when we had the chance!” and “you know, they’re better off living homeless in Hawai’i / than they are living in their own islands” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 48). The incorporation of quotes such as these illustrates how there is a severe empathy gap and lack of understanding towards the Marshallese people. They are so often the subjects of scorn or indifference and are the only ones who care about their own fate. The poem draws to a close with the lines “when they tell us our people are small / when they give us a blank face / when they give us a closed door” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 48–49). Here, the reader can understand how the Marshallese people are dehumanized and don’t receive the same degree of empathy that America might have for other nations. They are just another faceless, voiceless island, full of irrelevant, insignificant people.
Jetñil-Kijiner’s decision to give so much background into how the Marshallese people are viewed by Westerners and other global superpowers is crucial within the context of environmental activism efforts. She understands that it is easy for people to ignore how global warming is threatening the Marshall Islands because they don’t care about its inhabitants. By seeing Marshallese people as small and powerless, it makes it easier for other nations, like America to exploit them. Ideologies are powerful tools; if the world continues to believe that the Marshallese people don’t matter, then it will continue to sacrifice them for the sake of economic gain. By calling attention to the harmful ideologies present, Jetñil-Kijiner is challenging the dominant global perspective that is currently harming her people.
Jetñil-Kijiner not only calls attention to the negative implications that these ideologies have on her people but also humanizes the loss of her home by including her own hardships. In the poem entitled “Crash,” after detailing a car crash she was in, Jentil-Kilner pens the lines, “I wanted to tell him I was scared / of dying in someone else’s country” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 55). Most Americans might think of immigrants as faceless, brown people — a fantastical imaginary concept with little real-world implications. However, by presenting a personal narrative, readers are more likely to personally engage with the challenges of being an immigrant and being severed from their home country. It is a debilitating and frightening experience and if global warming persists, more people will inevitably be forced out of the Marshall Islands and subjected to the same experience.
Section Four: Tell Them
Iep Jāltok concludes with the section titled, Tell Them. Just as the name suggests, the main goal of this section is to encourage readers to not only care about the Marshallese people but also amplify their voices, share their stories, and, ultimately, stop ignoring their mistreatment. It is an activistic call to action, prompting people to shed their indifference.
In the poem entitled, “Tell Them,” Jetñil-Kijiner writes about how she prepared packages of earrings and baskets urging her classmates to wear jewelry and tell people that the items are from the Marshallese Islands (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 64). The purpose of this poem is to demonstrate that the Marshall Islands are not an empty land not to be exploited and utilized. It is more than just a bomb testing ground — people live there and by associating the population with physical items such as jewelry and baskets they become more than just an imaginary concept of natives. They become people with their own distinct crafts and culture— a culture that will be lost if global warming persists.
Jetñil-Kijiner continues this practice of humanizing the Marshallese Islands by characterizing its inhabitants, describing them as proud people, descendants of the finest navigators, islands dropped from a basket carried by a giant, wood shavings, pandanus leaves, sweet harmonies of songs, sunsets, skies uncluttered and the ocean among other many other things (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 64–65). Once again, by employing descriptive adjectives and vivid imagery Jetñil-Kijiner is able to utilize her poetry to characterize the Marshallese people. They go from a nameless, endangered native group to a powerful, distinct population.
Overall the poem becomes a call to action. The repetition of the phrase “tell them” throughout the stanzas emphasizes how important it is for the plight of the Marshallese people to be told. They are more than just brown people or immigrants or people who live on some small island. They are just as important and distinct as every other culture in the world. The poem urges others to join the Marshallese people so they don’t have to fight alone. This is not a battle that should only be fought by the Marshallese people — it should be everyone’s battle.
The poem starts to draw to a close with the following lines:
And after this
tell them about the water — how we have seen it rising
flooding across our cemeteries
gushing over the sea walls
and crashing against our homes
Tell them what it’s like
to see the entire ocean_level__with the land
Tell them
we are afraid
Tell them we don’t know
of the politics
or the science
but tell them we see
what is in our own backyard.
These lines once again demonstrate the importance of a Pacific-Islander perspective. Because of their proximity to the ocean, they experience the negative impacts of global warming firsthand. Western nations have the luxury of viewing the issue from a more removed and emotionally detached perspective because global warming does not yet significantly threaten the land or endanger its people. However, for Pacific Islanders climate change and global warming go beyond science; it is an issue that is quite personal and close. Jetñil-Kijiner’s imagery of the ocean flooding cemeteries, hitting homes, and invading communities helps the audience understand the magnitude of global warming. Although not currently affected, Western audiences learn that there are communities that are being threatened by climate change, right now. Without these perspectives, climate change becomes an imaginary doomsday scenario with few real-world consequences. However, after reading about the experiences of those enduring climate change on the front lines, audiences may be more willing to engage in activism on their behalf.
The last lines of the poem “Tell Them” re-textualize the background introduced to the reader in the first section of the book within a modern framework. Jetñil-Kijiner writes, “…we don’t want to leave / we’ve never wanted to leave / and that we / are nothing / without our islands” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 66–67). From section one of the book, it is explained to readers that the land is crucial to the identity of the Marshallese people, a fact that is re-emphasized here. However, amidst the activistic focus of the fourth and final section, this fact takes on a deeper, more complex meaning. The phrase we are nothing without our islands depicts to readers that it’s not just a lifeless uninhabited land that is at stake, but an entire population of people. It can be inferred that Jetñil-Kijiner is trying to get readers to understand that this situation is one that is quite literally life or death.
The final few poems of the fourth section and book, overall, demonstrate the true extent of Jetñil-Kijiner’s ethos-orientated approach to environmentalism.
The poem titled “Dear Matafele Peinam” is written by Jetñil-Kijiner to her daughter. Her daughter functions as a living embodiment of the future. The sinking of the island may come across to foreigners as a removed imaginary event since it could never happen to us. However, by personifying the future in the form of a concrete and physical person, audiences are more likely to comprehend what is truly at stake for the Marshallese Islands. Instead of a nameless, undefined future, the future of the Marshallese Islands is grounded in Jetñil-Kijiner’s daughter. Through consuming Jetñil-Kijiner’s poetry readers understand that if they do not protect the Marshallese Islands future children, like Matafele, will have to endure an irreversible loss. Jetñil-Kijiner herself explicitly states the consequence, writing that her daughter will “…wander rootless / with only / a passport / to call home” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 70). Her daughter will lose her home and connection to her ancestral land unless action is taken to combat global warming.
Once again, the language Jetñil-Kijiner chooses to use is not objective or like scientific or empirical data. It is emotionally laden and elevated to demonstrate the severity of the situation. She describes how the lagoon is gnawing, chewing, gulping, and crunching elements of the island. The Marshall Islands are being consumed, devoured, and destroyed. This is not a natural, everyday happening. It is a crisis.
In this poem, Jetñil-Kijiner also goes on the offensive pointing out exactly those who are responsible for what is taking place. She calls out the greedy whale of a company, backwater bullying business with broken morals, blindfolded bureaucracies, and those hidden behind platinum titles (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 71). Bureaucrats often run their companies in a way that sacrifices environmentalism for economic profit. This is similar to the scientists and politicians, from the earlier poem “History Project,” who performed nuclear testing for what they claimed to be the good of mankind. Ultimately, there is no justifiable moral reasoning for environmental damage — companies who contribute to global warming through environmentally unfriendly practices are responsible for what happens to the Marshall Islands and its people. Jetñil-Kijiner’s choice of adjectives attaches negative connotations to these corporations to show that they are not innocent. They are, instead, sinister institutions that are dooming the Marshallese people through their practices.
Further along in the poem, Jetñil-Kijiner writes “Mommy promises you // no one / will come devour you” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 71). This demonstrates to readers that global warming is not a victimless occurrence. Just because it hasn’t yet impacted the United States and other nations doesn’t mean it is not an important issue. Jetñil-Kijiner makes it clear that for her and her child, the continuation of global warming would not result in merely an impersonal relocation. It would result in a cultural death — the destruction of the island would mean the destruction of its people.
Jetñil-Kijiner takes three deliberate actions throughout the poem, “Dear Matafele Peinam,” to strengthen her activist stance. The first is to bring attention to the feigned ignorance of powerful nations accusing them of pretending the Marshallese people don’t exist (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 72). These nations thrive on indifference and as long as the world continues not to care for Pacific-Islander countries corporations and leaders will continue to abuse and exploit them.
A second action taken is the naming of several other Pacific-Islander nations such as Tuvalu and the Maldives (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 72). These nations are listed to show that the inhabitants of Micronesia are distinct and more than just a jumble of forgotten interchangeable islands. Furthermore, it shows the scope of the issue. Climate change is not just a threat for the Marshallese people — it is a problem that impacts a large population of people.
Thirdly, Jetñil-Kijiner acknowledges those who are already engaging in environmental activism. She describes them as individuals who see the Marshallese people and partake in activities such as banners, megaphones, canoes blocking coal ships, solar villages, petitions, recycling, reusing, painting, and spreading the word chanting for change NOW (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 72). By listing out the ways readers can help by trying Jetñil-Kijiner is trying to prompt action. Environmental activism is not just a pipe dream or an overly-idealistic thought. It is a concrete movement that needs more support.
The poem ends with the lines “we won’t let you down // you’ll see” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 73) which makes the reader feel personally responsible for the fate of Jetñil-Kijiner’s daughter and the future of the Marshallese people. Iep Jāltok manages to humanize environmentalism by portraying it as a human issue rather than a scientific one. This is essential considering foreign audiences historically struggle to empathize with the hardships of Pacific Islanders.
The main focus of the poem “Two Degrees” is climate change and demonstrates just how precarious the future of the Marshallese people is. Once again, Jetñil-Kijiner utilizes her child as a lens through which to see the future of the Marshall Islands. Instead of viewing the rise and temperatures as a scientific measure of data, she introduces the topic of climate change with an anecdote about her infant daughter’s fever (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 76). She writes about how her daughter’s fever prompts her to realize “what a difference / a few degrees / can make” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 76). Now the audience is thinking about climate change from a more human perspective rather than a collection of impersonal, cold-hard facts.
In the poem, Jetñil-Kijiner describes the negative impact of a two-degree rise in global temperatures. She prompts readers to engage in an imaginary exercise asking them to “imagine North American wildfires increasing by 400 percent / animal extinction rising by 30 percent…thousands, millions displaced / left wandering…” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 76). Here Jetñil-Kijiner is encouraging readers to empathize. By asking the reader to put themselves in the shoes of the Marshallese People, North Americans might be more likely to care about the environmental catastrophe that Pacific-Islander populations are currently facing.
Jetñil-Kijiner also proves how harmful an overly-Eurocentric mindset is through the form of an anecdote. She writes: “at a climate change conference / a colleague tells me 2 degrees / is just a benchmark for negotiations / I tell him…at 2 degrees my islands / will already be under water” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 77). The effect of the inclusion of this anecdote is to demonstrate that when a Western perspective is elevated, other voices are inevitably drowned out. A two-degree rise in temperatures might be a minor cause for concern for North Americans but it means the death of the Marshallese people. Through this anecdote, Jetñil-Kijiner demonstrates the dangers of not incorporating the viewpoints of Pacific Islanders. Failure to do so is likely to result in activism efforts becoming narrow-minded and pigeon-holed.
Jetñil-Kijiner also accuses world leaders of seeing the Marshall Islands as insignificant. She says “like the Marshall Islands / must look / on a map / just crumbs you / dust off the table, wipe / your hands clean of” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 77). This demonstrates to the readers how ignorance is weaponized against the people of the Marshall Islands. Jetñil-Kijiner is encouraging people to take responsibility for their indifferent mindsets. Just because the Islands are geographically small their issues are not any less large.
A line in the poem “Two Degrees” very well encapsulates Jetñil-Kijiner’s reasons for writing Iep Jāltok. She says “maybe I’m / writing the tide towards / an equilibrium / willing the world / to find its balance” (Jetñil-Kijiner, Iep 78). The world is out of balance — the issues of Pacific Islanders are being shoved aside for the sake of economic interest. Her writings are simply trying to amplify Pacific-Islander voices and give her people a platform so that the issues that most threaten their society such as climate change and global warming are also prioritized and seen as legitimate.
The concluding lines of the poem “Two Degrees” are some of Jetñil-Kijiner’s most powerful uses of ethos. She says, in regards to her reason for writing:
So that people
remember
that beyond
the discussions
numbers
and statistics
there are faces
all the way out here
there is a toddler
stomping squeaky
yellow light up shoes
across the edge of a reef
not yet
under water
This demonstrates Jetñil-Kijiner’s desire to encourage people to see beyond the facts and view environmentalism from the perspective of the people it most immediately affects. Environmentalism goes beyond science or data — through the consumption of Jetñil-Kijiner’s poetry readers can comprehend how environmentalism is about people and preserving the future of Pacific Islander populations. By ending the poem by discussing her daughter, Jetñil-Kijiner is reminding readers that environmentalism is a human issue. Furthermore, the usage of the phrase “not yet” is to show audiences that they can still make a difference and help the Marshallese people save their land. However, the time to take action is now.
These lines now only encourage empathy and provoke activism but also highlight the importance of Pacific-Islander inclusion in Asian-American studies. Pacific-Islander and Native communities have their own unique set of issues that differ from other ethnic subsets. Due to their sharp difference in culture and lifestyle, the issues that are most prominent for Pacific Islanders might differ from other ethnic groups within their race which might live in larger or more land-locked countries. Furthermore, Pacific Islanders are often excluded from traditional thought or mainstream discussions regarding Asians. As Jetñil-Kijiner has made clear, Pacific Islanders are often nameless and forgotten even though they deserve to be prioritized as much as every other ethnic group.
Ultimately, Iep Jāltok demonstrates how crucial it is for Pacific-Islander perspectives to be included both in environmentalism and Asian-American studies. Firstly, the Pacific-Islander perspective should be included in environmentalism because they are one of the cultural groups most notably impacted by the outcome of environmentalism efforts. They have the most to lose and most to gain. Furthermore, they have a unique connection to the land. Since they see the land as integral to their identity, they are able to speak from a more personal perspective rather than the removed science that environmentalism is typically treated to.
Pacific-Islander narratives such as Iep Jāltok should also be included in Asian-American studies because it’s important for audiences such as Westerners to understand the implications of their actions. Westerns who learn about Asian-Americans but not Pacific Islanders will continue to live a life of ignorance seeing these islands as nameless crumbs rather than the distinct, lively, cultures that they are. Furthermore, as Jetñil-Kijiner pointed out, Pacific Islanders are so often ignored, forgotten, or disregarded. That’s why it’s so important for them to be included in Asian-American studies. The progression and advancement of Asian-Americans should include all ethnic groups, not just a select few. Activism should be inclusive and the plights of Pacific-Islander should be amplified as much as other Asian-Americans.
Iep Jāltok is a powerful collection of poetry that personifies and characterizes environmentalism to encourage emotional investment from individuals who might not care otherwise. Indifference is a major challenge when trying to combat climate change which is why poetry is the perfect vehicle through which to provoke empathy. Jetñil-Kijiner’s descriptive language and inclusion of personal anecdotes prompt the reader to be concerned for the Marshallese people and their fate. Ultimately, narratives such as Jetñil-Kijiner’s are essential amidst a world of distance and detachment — it challenges people to care. This is the first, crucial step of activism. When people care, it leads them to take action which is the key to preserving the future of many Pacific-Islander communities.
Works Cited
Jetnil-Kijiner, Kathy. Iep Jāltok: Poems From a Marshallese Daughter. The University of Arizona Press, 2017.
— -. “Why don’t Marshallese people leave their climate-threatened islands?” Climate Change News, 7 June 2015, https://www.climatechangenews.com/2015/07/06/why-dont-marshallese-people-leave-their-climate-threatened-islands/.
