Susan Makes a Mat
Expert weaver Susan Jieta very kindly made a ‘jainai’ (fresh coconut frond mat) and allowed me to photograph the steps she took to create this natural fiber mat that can be used for sitting on for using as a place to store goods. The whole process took over three hours, which included just a few Read More
Buy Local at MISCO
The MISCO market opened up in Majuro in late 2017 and quickly became the go-to store for local products. The shelves are filled with local juices and vegetables with chilled coconuts in the fridge. But probably the biggest drawcard is the coolers out front that are packed with chilled local fish … and the Read More
Virtual Museum of Clothing Mats
The revival program of jaki-ed (clothing mats) includes a virtual museum of the world’s collections of jaki-ed, many of which were collected from the turn of the century through to the 1920s. The museum was spear-headed by the University of the South Pacific’s Majuro campus Director Dr. Irene Taafaki. The museum was designed and created by Read More
Jaki-ed Revival Program
By KAREN EARNSHAW Happy Hands: This name of one of Majuro’s successful handicraft stores describes beautifully the weavers of the Marshalls Islands. To be a skilled weaver is to use your busy hands to be creative as you sit with a happy circle of friends and at the same time earn a living, greatly improving Read More
Shopping for Handicrafts
By SUZANNE CHUTARO In a country where the unemployment rate for women is high as 70 percent and a majority of the adult population have few skills due to a poor education system, the traditional skill of handicraft weaving is providing many local families with an opportunity to survive in modern times. Marshallese handicrafts are Read More
