Mona

From Ocean to Ozarks by Mona Jolikiep

My artwork tells the story of John Moody, the first Marshallese man to come to Springdale, Arkansas. He arrived in the early 1980s and began working at Tyson Foods. In his letters back home, he encouraged family and friends to come to Springdale, sharing that there were good job opportunities here. His influence played a major role in shaping Springdale into the city with the largest Marshallese population outside of the Marshall Islands.

The imagery in my design is inspired by the Marshallese flag. The flag’s deep blue background represents the Pacific Ocean. Its orange and white diagonal stripes symbolize the two island chains, Ratak (“Sunrise”) and Ralik (“Sunset”), as well as bravery and peace. The white star with 24 points stands for the nation’s 24 electoral districts, and the four longer rays highlight Majuro, Ebeye, Jaluit, and Wotje, which are important cultural centers.

Through my artwork, I want to honor the Marshallese community in Springdale. My message is one of pride—pride in our history, in our culture, and in the people who made it possible for the Marshallese to build a home here.