Career
Amata Kabua is the Founding Father of the Marshall Islands. Kabua began his career as a school teacher. He was elected to the Congress of Micronesia in 1963 and served one term as its President.
He later became the first president of the Marshall Islands.
He had been a principal participant in the negotiations to gain independence for the Marshall Islands. He wrote the words and music for the national anthem, Forever Marshall Islands.
Kabua was the son of a paramount chief of the Ralik Chain and a paramount chieftain of the Ratak Chain. He died in office after a long illness, on December 20, 1996, in Hawaii.