The Story of the Bikinian National Anthem as described by Lore Kessibuki to Jack Niedenthal, May 1991 [picture: Lore Kessibuki]
Elder Lore Kessibuki wrote the Anthem on Rongerik atoll, where the Bikinians were, according to Harold Ickes in his 1947 syndicated column "Man to Man", "...actually and literally starving to death." I asked the composer of this hauntingly eloquent song, No longer Can I Stay; it's True, to describe for me the exact moment when the words and melody for the tune began to formulate in his mind.
LORE KESSIBUKI "Even through all of our hardships it was unfathomable that we still held high hopes that the Americans would help us. I vividly remember that one day many of our people were walking around vomiting, and having a terrible time with their stomachs, because they had forced themselves to eat a lot of the poisoned fish. These fish were the only available food for us to eat at the time. It was mid-afternoon and extremely hot when I myself felt nauseated and I slowly slumped to the ground beneath a coconut tree. All of a sudden images rushed into my mind about Bikini. I recalled the memories of what wonderful lives we had lived when we were on our islands. It was at that moment that I began to compose a vision in my soul about my homeland--Bikini, Bikini, Bikini, Bikini--the dream was so beautiful: I remembered the endless, white beaches where I used to take long walks with the sands rising up between my toes; and I thought about the lush jungles that had provided me with countless adventures as a child; and I tasted the delicious fish that could be easily caught--even by small children--in the lagoon; and I imagined myself touching the tombstones in the graveyard of my elders; and I envisioned myself sailing across the lagoon in a canoe which was loaded down with fresh tuna; and I recalled how I used to talk with my family, peacefully and quietly, long into the night. These recollections caused me, when coupled with my weakened state, to become quickly, and embarrassingly, reduced to tears right there under the tree--in the daytime! I was supposed to be a leader, yet, I was crumbling, crying. My god, I thought, was I losing my mind? That was when I began to construct a powerful song that seemed to flow out of the depths of my being. My mouth felt like it was uttering the words on its own, as if they were coming from an unknown source."
No longer can I stay; it's true.
No longer can I live in peace and harmony.
No longer can I rest on my sleeping mat and pillow
Because of my island and and the life I once knew there.
The thought is overwhelming
Rendering me helpless and in great despair.
My spirit leaves, drifting around and far away
Where it becomes caught in a current of immense power--
And only then do I find tranquility
[I jab ber emol, aet, i jab ber ainmon
ion kineo im bitu
kin ailon eo ao im melan ko ie
Eber im lok jiktok ikerele
kot iban bok hartu jonan an elap ippa
Ao emotlok rounni im lo ijen ion
ijen ebin joe a eankin
ijen jikin ao emotlok im ber im mad ie]
"The song emanated from the pure passion and sorrow that I felt for Bikini. One thing that continued to go through my mind during the composition of this song was the big, beautiful current that is always prevalent on the north side of our islands. It is so strong, in fact, that only large ships can sail there--it was dangerous for us to navigate with even our greatest of sailing canoes because the current had the power to sweep you away forever. I was a younger man then and my sadness was naturally overwhelming me. The particular words of my song, 'No longer can I stay, it's true,' relate to how I was viewing my people's sorrow during that period: it was so powerful. Bikini is like a relative to us: And then, to us, that family member was dead. The anthem came from the deepest of our depressions and from the peak of our confusion. My people were suffering and I was trying so hard to reflect that with my words. My song, to this day, is still sung with deep emotion; a feeling that I know will linger on with my people long after I am dead."
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