Tiger Shark - Marshall Islands

The Bikini Atoll, meaning “place of coconuts,” has been the site of 23 atomic detonations. The atomic testing began on July 1, 1946, and lasted through 1958. The original 157 Bikinians were relocated to neighboring islands. The lingering radiation from these atomic tests has made the Bikini Atoll unsuitable for general habitation.

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Galeocerdo cuvier - The tiger shark, named for the prominent stripes covering the body, is a solitary animal found in the warm coastal waters of the world. The tiger shark is known as an apex predator, an animal having no other animal above it in the food chain. The threats facing the tiger shark are over-fishing and the practice of “finning,” removing the fins and throwing the shark back into the water. Without fins, the shark is unable to swim with the necessary speed for water to pass effectively through the gills; the shark dies by suffocation.

Stick Charts - Marshall Islands

Early Polynesian explorers were skilled mariners able to confidently sail the Pacific by using simple devices known as stick charts. Made from the fronds of palm trees, the stick charts represented ocean swell patterns and the location of known islands. Conventional maps and charts are taken on board the vessel, but stick charts were left behind. The intended course was studied and memorized. The knowledge of making and using stick charts has been lost to modern navigational devices.

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The Marshall Islands were settled by Polynesian people more than 3,000 years ago. In 1526, Spanish explorer Alonso de Salazar claimed the area for Spain. Although it had residual claim, Spain did little to establish an official administrative government. The islands passed to Germany in 1885, and following World War I, were placed under a Japanese mandate. The United States took control after World War II. The Marshall Islands became independent in 1979, but retains close ties with the United States.

Historical Flags of Oceania

Although the Philippines were under the control of Spain, the short-lived Republic of Biak-na-Bato was proclaimed as the first Philippine Republic in 1897 by Emilio Aguinaldo. The flag consisted of a disc featuring a human face emitting 24 beams of sunlight. The disc, sans the face, is still retained in the current Philippine flag. The Pacific Island Trust Territory was established by the United Nations and was administrated by the United States from 1947 to 1986. It included the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau. The Republic of Ezo existed from January to June of 1869. Located on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, it was the first Asian state to hold an open election. The Tongan flag was adopted in 1862. In 1864, the Red Cross was formed in Geneva, Switzerland and used the reverse pattern of the Swiss flag in tribute, a design matching the Tongan flag of 1862. Tonga changed its flag in 1866.