MAJURO, Marshall Islands (Yokwe, April 6, 2010) - "I was born on July 5, 1940 on the island of Eneaetok in Rongelap Atoll, Marshall Islands. My name is Lemeyo Abon — my maiden name is Naptali and I am of the Ijirik clan."

Lemeyo is a nuclear survivor and well known in modern times for her vocal stance on the nuclear legacy of the Rongelap people. But before the time of nuclear fallout, years of study by US government scientists and doctors, and self-imposed exile to the island of Mejatto in Kwajalein Atoll, Lemeyo remembers a time when her family and community lived a peaceful life ruled only by Marshallese custom.

"Our community always worked together as one," explains Lemeyo. "Whether it was building a canoe, a house, preparing mokmok (arrowroot) or alele fishing (group fishing method of encircling the fish and driving them to shore), the men and women always worked together to achieve the common goal."

She said when such activities, including a kemem (birthday) or ilomej (funeral), took place people in the community would step up to lend a hand — "you hardly ever had to ask people for help — everyone just knew their part and helped."

Even in war times, Lemeyo says she recalls a story told to her by her grandmother of the women assisting their men by taking up their aje (drums) and chanting to motivate their men.

Of course, during Lemeyo’s early childhood years on Eneaetok the same stereotypical duties and responsibilities of women, which we still see today, existed.

"Women took care of the cooking, caring for children, and making handicrafts — particularly weaving mats," remembers Lemeyo. "Mats in our culture are prized possessions."

But Lemeyo qualifies that these stereotypical duties performed by the women were not seen as a lessening of the value of women within her family or in the community — "it was just what women did."

Growing up in the Ratak Chain and learning the way of Marshallese custom on island of Eneaetok, Lemeyo says it was common and accepted that "women held and exercised alab (clan heads) rights on their land.

"When the alab had meetings a woman with alab rights could take part and sometimes the female alab would designate a younger brother or son to represent her."

Lemeyo says that in some instances the son or younger brother of a female alab would be designated by the alab herself to do the alab’s work which require physical strength — thus the Marshallese phrase ‘mamaan maronron’ (men of strength) — and she says this also occurred in instances whereby the alab was not feeling well or had become too old to carry out her duties.

As Lemeyo discussed her understanding of her heritage, she firmly believes that women were (and are) recognized as alab. She says, too, that the decisions, authority and rights could be and were exercised by women who held alab titles.

"How do you think a man can get his title?" asks Lemeyo. "It comes from his mother, but now I don’t know if men are systematically trying to change this."

The modern day changes in the status of women and their rights bestowed on them by Marshallese custom has Lemeyo baffled. She says, for example, "in Rongelap, nowadays, they are saying women can’t be alab and the authority is only for the man to exercise. It’s like they are now trying to undermine women.

"In old days, women had the authority if they were alab or leroij," Lemeyo professes. "And, they were allowed to exercise that authority. Men recognized this authority. In the past, women were valued [in such roles]."

While Lemeyo exudes a sense of longing for aspects of Marshallese custom that are no longer practiced, she readily admits that she is not closed off to change and accepting new opportunities. With the Marshall Islands now governed as a democratic nation, Lemeyo sees great potential for the women of the Marshall Islands to rise up and realize their full potential as Marshallese women living in a free and democratic society.

"Sometimes, from my observations, it’s like the men are pushing the women out and putting them down," said Lemeyo. "They belittle women, and say women can’t move up."

But she offers the following observation: "We need to keep parts of our custom that are good and do away with what is not good. People are smart and they know what they need to do. There is no need to push women out and keep them down. Women are capable of gaining the same skills (as men) and they should get paid the same level as their male counterparts."

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