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162 The Unforgettable Moments in Life

Fun Day May Day

By Sarah Rilang

There are a lot of traditions in the Marshallese community, but May Day is the most

celebrated for the Marshallese. The celebration has special meaning for the Marshallese people.

We gather together to have fun during the summer from May 1st to the end of the month.

When the school year is over, I always look forward to having May Day with my family

and seeing other people like me in one place. May Day has no rules but to have people come

together. It’s not only for the Marshallese people but for everyone. Anyone can join and have fun

no matter what. People like me aren’t the only ones to gather, but more people from areas such as

Texas, Pittsburg, Iowa, and more come to my area. Marshallese teams from other states come as

well as people who are supporting them.

My parents and I stepped out of the car on Tyson Park’s ground. I got lost in thought as I

heard the sound of the kid’s excitement and saw most kids sprinting their legs across the long

park. I got back into the real world and heard my mom screaming my name as she was already in

the ballpark. As I put both my legs into the ballpark’s ground, I plugged my ears with my index

fingers. Ladies were screaming and cheering for their team and over 1,000 people were either

walking around, standing, sitting on the bleachers or on the ground with a Marshallese mat we

call a jakied. I was walking around the ballpark when I saw a girl with long black hair and

blonde highlights. She wore black shorts above her knee and a white crop shirt that showed her

stomach. She was sprinting her legs like a hare towards me with open arms and a big smile on

her face. We embraced and went to sit together.