The Flag of Bikini is the official flag of Bikini Atoll and its people within the Republic of the Marshall Islands. It is based on the Flag of the United States, with modifications.
The canton contains 23 stars, each representing the islands of Bikini Atoll. The three black stars in the upper right represent the three islands that vanished during the 15-megaton Bravo test that permanently disfigured the atoll on March 1, 1954. The two black stars in the lower right represent the two islands where the refugees from Bikini Atoll were forced to live after their evacuation from the atoll; their distance from the canton indicates their geological distance from their native Bikini Atoll, as well as their longing for return. The use of the American flag design represents the ongoing responsibility the Government of the United States still owes to the Bikinian people. The black words enscribed in the lower right — MEN OTEMJEJ REJ ILO BEIN ANIJ — are Marshallese for "Everything is in the hands of God." It recalls the original request from the U.S. government to temporarily borrow the islands "for the good of mankind".
Last updated: 10-16-2005 05:03:27