In this Micronesian Monday Feature, we learn more about Rosannia Maddison, from the Marshall Islands, whose early fascination with fragrances led her to make and sell her own candles, wax melts, and more.

When a new person comes across Rosannia Maddison’s products, puzzled about how to pronounce the Marshallese names, Rosannia jumps at the chance to teach them.

"I love the part when I am at markets selling my products, and a customer asks me how do you pronounce the word or what does it mean,” Rosannia said. “Once I am done explaining, they become so fascinated, like you can see that excitement in their eyes. Because not every day you will come across a Micronesian girl in the midwest selling home fragrances, boasting about her language and culture through her candles, and work.”

She first started to sell candles in February 2021 and then officially launched her business, Iakwe Candle Co., in April 2021.  

When she moved into her first home a few years ago, Rosannia became more invested in creating a space of her own, which included adding ambiance and aroma.

“Before immersing myself into making candles, all I knew was that they smell so darn good. I have a habit of smelling candles every time I come across one when I am out shopping,” she said. 

The 28-year-old now lives in Kansas. She was born on Majuro, Marshall Islands before moving to Hawai’i when she was 8 years old. 

Up until 2021, Rosannia’s relationship with candles was a standard one. There were candles for sale and she bought them. Then she caught a whiff of people making their own candles and she was captivated. Over the years, her interest in candle-making grew and she had to try it herself. 

“I thought it was going to be a hobby,” Rosannia recalled. "But instead it turned out that I enjoy and love making candles and other home fragrance items.” 

She shared her new candle-making hobby on Instagram in February 2021. A few months later, Rosannia officially launched Iakwe Candle Co. and put out her “Mazol Islands” candle for sale. 

iakwecandle

A post shared by Iakwe Candle Co. (@iakwecandle)

Marshallese customers flocked to buy her first batch of “Mazol Islands” candles, delighted by the name. 

“‘Mazol’ is slang for ‘Marshall’ and so I believe that contributed to that specific item being sold out within minutes of being launched,” Rosannia said. “Selling out right after I launched was not something that I was expecting. But what I felt was pride. Knowing that everyone (Marshallese customers) wanted a piece of home within their home.”

Rosannia said she will be focusing on giving her products Marshallese names this year and adding the meaning in English to the labels. 

“I believe that this way grabs the attention of the customers because of the uniqueness behind it. I hope for the audience to capture the authenticity of my brand,” she said. 

Since she opened shop, Rosannia has expanded her handmade fragrance line beyond candles. She now makes wax melts, room sprays, and reed diffusers. Along the way, she continues to find fragrance oils and wax combinations that work for her brand. 

“ I am currently working with coconut soy wax. The reason for coconut soy wax is because back home…coconut is one of the natural resources that the Marshallese people live on by. I used to work with only soy wax but adding coconut really adds that personal touch to it,” she said. 

iakwecandle

A post shared by Iakwe Candle Co. (@iakwecandle)

For customers who want flameless options to add some aroma to their spaces, Rosannia recommends a wax melt or reed diffuser.

Iakwe Candle Co.’s room sprays are scented sprays that can be used for linen and are gentle enough to use on the body, Rosannia said. 

There are a few top-performing products that customers continue to love, including her Aenōmman fragrance. 

“This fragrance was created with oils from tea and ginger. It is a light and airy scent, not too overpowering but very aromatic. The reason why I give this item its name is because of my late grandmother/ mama,” Rosannia said. “I distinctly remember when I was younger, she would brew tea with ginger slices whenever baba or one of us kids had the cold. If I were to go back in time, it would be to a moment when she’s brewing that tea with ginger, because no matter how many times I’ve tried to perfect her recipe, I can’t ever seem to get it to be like hers, especially when I am feeling ill and just want to have a cup of hot tea and ginger.”

Beyond individual products, Rosannia is also able to make candle party favors that can be customized to fit any theme or color scheme. 

“All designs are created by me, and usually I don’t finalize designs until I get the approval of my customer. I am currently working on an order and it is my biggest order yet,” she said. 

In fact, all of Iakwe Candle Co.’s products are created by Rosannia.

“I am a one-woman show,” she said. “Running my business in the corner of my room.” 

“I make all my products myself. From mixing & pouring waxes, blending fragrance oils, creating labels, taking product photos, running the website/ social media accounts, answering emails, to packaging and shipping orders. Basically, I do everything myself,” she said with a laugh.

Doing it all is no easy feat but Rosannia said she enjoys this work. Aside from creating the candles and room sprays and wax melts, she’s also able to share her homeland, her language, and culture with people. That’s been the most rewarding part. 

She hopes to be able to incorporate more of her roots in her products, eyeing ways to incorporate coconut shells. She also plans to move to more eco-friendly packaging and encourages her customers to reuse her candle jars when the candles have been used up. 

It’s been less than a year since this Micronesian girl in the midwest began selling fragrances and she’s accomplished so much already, with no sign of slowing down. 

“I hope that this year, 2022, I can move forward with the changes that I have in mind for my brand. The ultimate goal is to spread the language, the culture, the people through my products! I plan to implement Marshallese words/phrases/ places into my brand. The brand itself is the meaning of it all. ‘Iakwe’ is the Marshallese way on how we express love, it’s also our way of greeting each other,” she said. 

“ ‘Iakwe’ generally translated is ‘You are a rainbow.’ But to be more in-depth, I would say to ‘embrace,’ and how does one feel when being embraced? Warmth. And what does candle do? Make you warm, and also brings a sense of coziness to your home,” Rosannia added. “I know so cheesy but that is my perspective, and how I like to interpret the meaning behind my brand. So, with Iakwe Candle Co. products, I hope that your homes will be filled with aroma, love, and warmth.”

Curious about other Micronesian creators? Here are some recommendations from Rosannia: 

• @belsrealm 

• @_sweetexplosions

• @iakwesoap 

• @kein_likatu 

• @jampo_scrunchie 

• @najnatural 

• @islelashes_n_co 

• @janie_makes

• @signedbyjoen

• @sincerelylucille_

• @loeakcustoms

Thank you so much to Rosannia for her time and for telling us about her business. I really enjoyed learning about how she started Iakwe Candle Co.!

Follow Iakwe Candle Co. on Facebook and Instagram and check out her website iakwecandleco.com to find all the different kinds of home fragrances Rosannia sells.

iakwecandle

A post shared by Iakwe Candle Co. (@iakwecandle)

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