 |
6.1 Who are
the important figures from traditional and contemporary times?
American Samoa
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Jacob Roggeveen, Dutch explorer who
“discovered” the islands in 1722
- Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, French
explorer who named Samoa “Navigator Islands”
in 1768
- Reverend John Williams, introduced
Christianity in 1831
- Paramount Chief Mauga of Pago Pago
and other chiefs of Tutuila and Aunuu ceded the islands
to the United States in 1900
- King Tuimanua Elisara ceded the Manua
Islands under the protection of the United States in 1904
|
- Commander Benjamin Franklin Tilley
of the U.S. Navy, American Samoa’s first naval governor
(February 17, 1900)
- Commander William Michael Crose, first
person designated as governor of American Samoa on July
17, 1911
- High Chief Asuemu Ulufale Fuimaono,
American Samoa’s first Delegate-at-Large to U.S. Congress
in 1970
- Peter Tali Coleman, first Samoan to
become governor of the territory (appointed in 1956; three
elected terms, most recent ending in 1993)
|
|
| |
Chuuk
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Queen Ketsen Penia, only queen of Chuuk
|
- Toshiwo Nakayama, first president of
FSM from Chuuk
- Petrus Mailo, famous traditional chief
of Chuuk (died in 1971)
- Erhart Aten, first elected governor
in 1978
- Father Amando Samo, first Chuukese
ordained priest in 1980, elevated to Bishop of Carolines
in 1985
|
|
| |
CNMI
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Chief Taga the Great, high chief of
ancient Chamorros – remains of Taga House on Tinian
island built with largest latte stones ever discovered
- Padre Luis Diego de San Vitores, introduced
Catholicism in late 1660s
- Father Luis de Medina, first martyr
killed at Laulau Bay (Saipan) in 1670
- Chief Matapang, Chamorro rebel who
killed San Vitores in 1672 for baptizing his daughter without
his consent, later killed by Chamorros of Rota\
- Jose Quiroga, captain of Spanish Guard
on Guam and temporary governor of CNMI who removed all Chamorros
from CNMI at the end of the 17th century (island north of
Rota unpopulated for nearly a century)
- Chief Aghrub and Chief Nguschul, Carolinian
chiefs who established Arabual (early 19th century), first
village established after Quiroga depopulated island. Arabual
is now known as Garapan, the largest village in Saipan and
capital of CNMI
- George Johnson, established Tinian
cattle ranch with Carolinian population (repopulating island)
- Padre Jose Palomo, first Chamorro ordained
as Catholic priest in 1859
|
- George Fritz, first German administrator
who made Chamorro the first language of instruction in schools
and used Chamorro legends about CNMI as readers in German
language classes
- Gregorio Sablan, first Chamorro teacher
during the German administration (fluent in five languages)
and first head chief of Saipan
- Pedro and Antonio Ada, first successful
Chamorro businessmen during the German administration
- Haruji Matsue, known as the “Sugar
King of the Marianas” for the successful sugarcane
industry he created after the Japanese took over CNMI in
1914
- Juan Ada, Chamorro who served as last
Japanese sancho and first chosen high chief of Saipan people
- Melchar Mendiola, first elected (Chamorro)
chief commissioner of Rota after World War II
- Juan A. Sablan, first Chamorro district
administrator during Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
administration
- William S. Reyes, first Chamorro chosen
as superintendent of education
- Dr. Jose Torres, first Chamorro medical
doctor and namesake of Dr. Torres Memorial Hospital of Saipan,
which opened in 1969
- Olympio T. Borja, president of the
Senate of CNMI who also served in the Congress of Micronesia
and Mariana District Legislature (1970s)
- Edward D.L.G. Pangelinan, chairman
of Northern Marianas Political Status Commission and first
elected Washington representative for CNMI (1970s)
- Dr. Carlos Camacho, first elected governor
of CNMI in 1978
- Francisco Ada, first Chamorro district
administrator and first elected lieutenant governor in 1978
|
|
| |
Guam
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Legend of Gadao, who became chief of
Inarajan village after performing three great feats of strength
(swam around Guam 50 times, cracked a coconut into pieces
with bare hands, and leveled the tallest mountain in Guam)
- Chief Matapang of Tumon rebelled against
Catholicism and Spanish colonialism (mid-1600s)
- Chief Kepuha was Guam’s first
Catholic chief (late 1660s)
- Chief Hirao of Chochogo gave an eloquent
speech denouncing the Spanish intrusion of the Marianas
in 1671; speech was recorded by French priest Charles Le
Gobien
|
- B.J. Bordallo and F.B. Leon Guerrero,
members of Guam’s Congress who advocated U.S. citizenship
for Chamorros in Guam (early 1900s)
- Joseph Flores, first governor of Chamorro
descent appointed by the U.S. president (1960-1961)
- F.B. Leon Guerrero, first elected governor
of Guam (1970s)
- A.B. Won Pat, first elected representative
to the U.S. Congress; a non-voting member on the floor,
he chaired the sub-committee on military affairs for several
years (1970s)
|
|
| |
Kosrae
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Reverend Benjamin Snow, missionary
who introduced Christianity to Kosrae in the 1860s
- Awane Lupalik I (Good King George),
instrumental in the acceptance of missionaries to Kosrae
and the introduction of Christianity in the 1860s
- King John Sigrah, last traditional
king of Kosrae, 1910-1947
|
- Rose Mackwelung, head of the first
school established after World War II
- Jacob Nena, first governor; Kun N.
Sigrah, first lieutenant governor in 1978
- Joab Sigrah and Hiroshi Ismael, first
congressmen to FSM
- Hiroshi Ismael, third vice president
of FSM (1987-1991) and first Kosraean in position
- Yosiwo George, first FSM ambassador
to the UN
|
|
| |
Palau
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Prince Libuu (Lee Boo), first Palauan
to leave Palau to live in the modern world of England (late
18th century) and to be educated and speak English
|
- Lazarus Salii, Micronesian political
chairman during the Trust Territory congressional years
(1960s and 1970s) who later became Palau’s president
- Kaleb Udui, first Micronesian attorney
|
|
| |
Pohnpei
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Olisihpa and Olosohpa – Olosohpa
became the first Saudeleur (line of kings who ruled Pohnpei
between 1100 and 1300). The Saudeleur dynasty was politically
and religiously derived as the ruling social structure;
their headquarters were set up at what is now Nan Madol,
a city built on a reef that allows water to pass through
islets
- Isokelekel of Kataupeidak, warrior
who overthrew Saudeleurs and instituted a decentralized
government with nahnmwarki (paramount chiefs);
became first nahnmwarki
- Nahnparadak, awarded with the koanoat
title (equivalent with chief title) for outstanding performance
and services to the political system; initiated koanoat
titles in Pohnpei
|
- Father Iginio Bergansa, Spanish priest
who devoted his life to the spiritual well-being of Pohnpeians
- Father Paulino Canter, first Pohnpeian
ordained as a priest in 1950
- Bailey Olter, first president of FSM
from Pohnpei and Congressman during the Trust Territory
government
- Leo A. Falcam, second president of
FSM from Pohnpei, governor during Trust Territory government,
and Congressman during FSM government
|
|
| |
RMI
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- First Micronesian navigators arrived
in the islands sometime between 2000 and 500 B.C.
- Lines of chiefs who ruled the different
islands
- Alonso de Salazar of Spain, first European
to sight the islands in 1525 (Spain did nothing to colonize
them)
- Captain John Marshall, European visitor
in 1788 and later namesake of the islands
- Otto von Kotzebue, Russian explorer
who drew the first detailed maps of the islands in the early
1800s
|
- Important figures include traditional
leaders, reverends and pastors, ministers, and local government
leaders (senators and mayors)
- Amata Kabua, first elected president
of RMI in 1979
- Dwight Heine, first Marshallese District
Administrator and Consultant to the High Commissioner during
the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
- Robert Reimers (1909-1998), first Marshallese
businessman and founder of Robert Reimers Enterprises, Inc.
|
|
| |
Yap
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Fattamag, the first Yapese man to bring
thawey shell necklace from Eauripik (neighboring
island) into Mainland Yap
- Anugumaang, the first Yapese man to
bring gaaw (necklace-like string currency made
of carved pieces of shell and whale’s teeth) from
Pohnpei into Mainland Yap
- Fadaaqan, the first Yapese man to bring
stone money from Palau to Yap
|
- David O’Keefe established the
biggest trading business in Yap (1870s)
- King W. Chapman, first district administrator
of Yap in 1951
- Chief Roboman, president of the Council
of Magistrates in 1959
- Joachim Falmog, president of the Yap
Island Congress in 1959
- Joseph Tamag and John Rugulmar, first
elected representatives to the first Congress of Micronesia
in 1965
- Edmund Gilmar, first Yapese district
administrator in 1975
- Mau Piailug, Satawalese master navigator
who in 1976 became the first navigator in over 500 years
to guide a canoe from Hawaii to Tahiti without charts or
instruments
- John A. Mangefel, first governor of
Yap in 1978, re-elected in 1982 for second term
- Hilary Tacheliol, first lieutenant
governor of Yap in 1978
- Petrus Tun, first Yapese to serve as
vice-president of FSM (1979-1983); also served as governor
of Yap (1986-1990)
- John Haglelgam, first Yapese to serve
as president of FSM (1987-1991)
- Vincent Figir, third governor of Yap
who served two terms (1994-2002)
|
|
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6.2 What are the important
events from traditional and contemporary times?
American Samoa
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Tongan rule in Samoa was defeated in
the early 12th century
- Massacre Bay event killed 11 of French
explorer Jean-Francois de La Perouse’s crew on December
11, 1787
- Development of social structure of
society – matai (chief) system
|
- Ceded Manua islands to the U.S. and
became unincorporated U.S. territory in 1900
- First public school, Fagatogo, was
opened in American Samoa on April 11, 1904
- First Samoan hospital opened at Malaloa,
Tutuila, on March 4, 1912
- First U.S. air mail was delivered to
American Samoa on January 26, 1956
- First American Samoa flag was raised
on April 17, 1960
- First delegate to DC was elected in
1970
- Apollo 13 spacecraft splashed down
into American Samoa waters on April 17, 1970
- Official seal of American Samoa bearing
the motto “Samoa Muamua le Atua” (Samoa, Let
God Be First) was adopted by the 13th territorial legislature
on March 5, 1973
- First governor was elected in 1977
|
|
| |
Chuuk
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Spanish explorers came to Chuuk in
the 16th century
- Copper traders settled in Chuuk beginning
in 1860
- First missionaries arrived in 1879
|
- Japanese troops arrived in Chuuk in
the late 1930s and early 1940s
- Chuuk State Legislature was formed
in 1978
- Institution of Chuuk Constitution in
1989
|
|
| |
CNMI
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Spanish colonists attempted genocide
in the 17th century; Chamorro race was almost wiped out
- Chief Aghurubw, first Carolinian chief
navigator to CNMI (early 1800s)
- Carolinians migrated to the islands
(19th century)
|
- U.S. invaded Saipan in 1944
- Chamorro and Carolinians were relieved
from forced encampment at Chalan Kanoa in 1946
- President Kennedy lifted the security
clearance in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
and established Saipan as the provisional headquarters in
1962
- CNMI Constitution was signed in 1976
- January 9, 1978 – Commonwealth
Day. Day of inauguration and establishment of the first
Commonwealth government
- November 3, 1986 – Citizenship
Day. Ronald Reagan proclaimed that the Trust Territory Agreement
was not applicable to CNMI and approved U.S. citizenship
for all citizens
|
|
| |
Guam
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Magellan discovered the Marianas in
1521
- Spanish war of extermination led to
near decimation of the Chamorro society and loss of Chamorro
leadership
|
- Spanish-American War allowed U.S. control
of Guam, making Guam a U.S. possession and separating it
from its sister islands
- Japanese invasion of Guam during World
War II
- Guam was ruled by Navy Admirals on
Guam from 1898 until 1951
- Organic Act of Guam, passed by the
U.S. Congress in 1951, established Guam as an unincorporated
territory of the U.S. and made Chamorros of Guam U.S. citizens
(defined as “Guamanian” to identify their residency)
- Governmental infrastructure was developed
for the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of
government
|
|
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Kosrae
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Construction of the traditional capital
in Lelu, now known as the Lelu Ruins (ca. 1200-1400)
- Arrival of French Captain Louis I.
Duperrey on the ship Coquielle marked the first
contact with the outside world (1824)
- Missionaries arrived in 1852
- Germany bought the Caroline Islands
from Spain in 1899
- Japanese took over Micronesia in 1914
|
- September 8, 1944 – Liberation
Day. Day that Kosrae was liberated from Japan
- Became a separate Trust Territory of
the Pacific Islands district in 1977
- Kosrae State Constitution was ratified
in 1983
- Kosrae airport terminal opened in 1988
|
|
| |
Palau
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- First European contact was made in
1783 by Captain Wilson and his ship Antelope, which
was shipwrecked on the reef of Ulong (Oolong),
a rock island situated near the island of Koror
|
- Palau has fallen under four foreign
administrations (Spain, Germany, Japan, and U.S. during
Trust Territory) before taking its own supervision by its
leaders
- K.B. Bridge, world’s longest
cantilever bridge, opened in 1977
- Palau Constitution was adopted in 1980
- United Nations Day, annual celebration
until 1994 of Palau coming under the Trusteeship Agreement
after World War II
- Palau’s independence has been
celebrated annually since October 1, 1994
|
|
| |
Pohnpei
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Christian missionaries arrived in 1852,
which ended the authority of the nahnmwarki (paramount
chiefs)
|
- Western democratic government and religion
influenced the traditional government system; democracy’s
elected leaders undermines the traditional leadership-by-clan
system
- Substantial changes made in 1990s to
improve foreign investment climate: new foreign investment
registration processes instituted, former state functions
and corporations privatized, and public land set aside for
resort development and manufacturing
|
|
| |
RMI
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas ceded ownership
of all of Micronesia to Spain
- Missionaries arrived during the 1800s
- Education mission schools were established
in 1850s to gain religious influence over people
- Germany annexed the Marshalls in 1885
|
- Germany placed government officials
on the islands in 1906
- Japan took over in 1914 and colonized
extensively, developing and fortifying large bases on many
of the islands
- Bombing of Bikini Atoll (mid-1900s)
- Attained independence in 1986 under
a Compact of Free Association
|
|
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Yap
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- FSM was originally settled by ancient
people sailing east from Asia and north from Polynesia
- First settlers (often described as
Austronesian speakers with horticultural skills and highly
sophisticated maritime knowledge) were thought to have migrated
eastward from Southeast Asia to Yap
- Portuguese navigators in search of
the Spice Islands came across Yap and Ulithi in 1525
- Spain established its colonial government
on Yap and claimed sovereignty over the Caroline Islands
until 1899
|
- Became part of the Trust Territory
of the Pacific Islands in 1947
- Following a Constitutional Convention,
Yap, Chuuk, Kosrae, and Pohnpei voted to form a Federation
under the Constitution of FSM, July 12, 1978
- Implementation of the constitution
in 1979 made the U.S. recognize the establishment of FSM
national and state governments
- Compact of Free Association was signed
with the U.S. on October 1, 1982, and it entered into force
on November 3, 1986
- FSM became a member of the United Nations
on September 17, 1991
|
|
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6.3 What are the important
events frm traditional and contemporary times?
American Samoa
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Traditions and history were reflected
and preserved in stories, proverbs, legends, and songs
- Elders and parents were encouraged
to pass on cultural history to their children
|
- Cultural history activities include
“Samoan days” in schools, Flag Day celebrations,
Tourism Week (weeklong celebration of art festivities and
cultural presentations), and an arts festival
- Cultural history is also preserved
and passed on through books about events/individuals, Samoan
studies courses offered in schools and colleges, and libraries
and archives
|
|
| |
Chuuk
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Cultural traditions were reflected
in dances, legends, songs, proverbs, chants, and stories
- Older people passed on knowledge and
culture to the younger generation
|
- Formal instruction in schools (social
studies and bilingual curricula) and verbal communication
help to preserve and pass down Chuuk’s culture
- Oral interview with Chief Petrus Mailo
held at the University of Hawaii; Chuuk State Constitution
and other legislation are now in written documents
|
|
| |
CNMI
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Much of ancient Chamorro and Carolinian
were preserved in legends and stories
- Some traditions and historical events
were passed on through songs, chants, dances, languages,
and gestures
- Legends, superstitions, and jokes explained
natural phenomena
|
- After World War II, various federal
employees produced booklets about CNMI history for schools
- Each Saipan village has a patron saint
who is honored at annual fiestas
- Novenas are still practiced to remember
loved ones/special events in families
- History is passed on through poems,
local publications, and arts and crafts; Cultural Day is
celebrated by schools and features cultural events, songs,
dance, and food
- CNMI history is now required in high
school; Northern Marianas College offers CNMI history, spoken
Chamorro, and bilingual/bicultural education classes
- Several government agencies are involved
in preserving culture and tradition through the public school
system’s bilingual/bicultural program
- Other organizations such as the Department
of Community and Cultural Affairs preserve cultural history,
for example by sponsoring annual concerts and art shows
|
|
| |
Guam
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Native history was passed on through
legends and stories
- Legends explained natural phenomena,
recounted feats/defeats of historical figures
- Chamorro history was suppressed by
Spaniards, Japanese, and U.S.
|
- History is preserved through classes
(K-6) mandated by law; teachers encourage class projects
to preserve/continue language and culture
- Historical sites uncovered during construction
are being preserved; artifacts/historical documents are
on display at the main public library and Guam Museum
- Books on Chamorro history have been
written
- Chamorro history is taught in high
school and at the University of Guam
|
|
| |
Kosrae
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Traditions and culture were passed
on orally through songs and legends
- Elders passed on history to parents
and children
|
- Cultural history is preserved and passed
on through the school curriculum, books written by foreign
authors, and the Office of History and Culture (Kosrae Museum)
- Certain songs re-enact historical events
such as the introduction of Christianity and the liberation
from the Japanese
|
|
| |
Palau
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Traditional customs and oral history
(chants, stories, dance, folklore) preserved Palauan culture
- Each family had its own family history
passed from generation to generation by family/clan elders
- Palauans learned history/culture through
memorization and practice
|
- History is now written and taught in
school
- Family histories are still preserved
by families or clans (some put into writing)
- Cultural history is also preserved
and shared through film documentaries
|
|
| |
Pohnpei
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Stories, legends, proverbs, chants,
songs, and dances preserved cultural history (oral culture
needs an oral system capable of retaining and passing on
knowledge, skills, and attitudes)
|
- Culture is taught in schools with Pohnpei-developed
textbooks
- Stories, legends, and proverbs are
being written down; books are being developed to preserve/share
Pohnpeian culture/history
- Rahn en Mareimwahu (Liberation Day),
is a legal holiday to commemorate the end of World War II
in Pohnpei
|
|
| |
RMI
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- History was preserved in stories, proverbs,
legends, and chants
|
- History is preserved in written forms
like books and other documents and is taught in schools
- Jobwa (stick dance) – only a
chief for certain atolls can lead this dance; he chooses
the dancers and the occasions when the dance can be performed
- Cultural Day is celebrated by individual
schools and communities and features cultural events, songs,
dance, and food
- Artifacts and historical documents
are on display at the public library and museum
|
|
| |
Yap
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Cultural history was preserved and
passed on orally through family and community
|
- Culture is passed on through the education
system
- Written history only covers the period
from Western discovery of Yap to the present; anything before
this discovery is incorporated through stories and legends
|
|
| |
6.4 What is the predominant
belief about creation?
American Samoa
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Samoans, like other Polynesians, believed
they were born from gods and goddesses
|
|
|
| |
Chuuk
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- First woman came from Kosrae, floating
on the trunk of a palm tree
- First women of different clans in Chuuk
were born from various objects such as breadfruit, flowers,
rocks, and fish
|
- Same as traditional
- Religious beliefs are also based on
the Bible
|
|
| |
CNMI
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Legend of Putan and Fauna, siblings
who were responsible for the creation of mankind: When Putan
died, his eyes became the sun and moon, his eyebrows became
rainbows, and his breast became the sky; the sky and seawater
created a great rock, which divided into small stones/tiny
pebbles that became people
- Carolinians believed in Mother Nature
(goddess of all mankind), life after death, and the goddesses
of nature (ocean, land, air, etc.)
|
- Same as traditional
- Christian beliefs are also prevalent
|
|
| |
Guam
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Legend of Putan and Fauna, siblings
who were responsible for the creation of mankind: When Putan
died, his eyes became the sun and moon, his eyebrows became
rainbows, and his breast became the sky; the sky and seawater
created a great rock, which divided into small stones/tiny
pebbles that became people
|
- Same as traditional
- Some hold Christian beliefs
|
|
| |
Kosrae
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Island was created by gods from the
transformed figure of a sleeping lady (skyline from many
parts of Kosrae reveal the silhouette of her head and breasts)
|
- Christians believe God created heaven
and earth
- Others believe that part of the island
was created by supernatural phenomena
|
|
| |
Palau
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Most Palauan creation/evolution theories
were based on legends and supernatural beings
- Legends/stories explained creation
of islands, birth, money, clan systems, and leadership
|
- Some believe scientific theories of
the creation of the island, its people, and religious beliefs
- Christians believe in the God of Creation
|
|
| |
Pohnpei
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Pohnpei Island was created out of a
pile of coral rocks; according to legend, a canoe asked
Lidakihka (an octopus) for directions and was directed to
a rock pile, which was built up so large that it formed
an island; the canoe got stranded; the island was then named
“Pohnpei,” which means “Upon the Stone
Altar”
- Later, Sepwkini returned to where the
voyage originated and left behind Limwehtu to develop the
land. When Limwehtu became old, she transformed into Likepsino
(an imaginary sea cucumber) and gave birth to a girl, the
mother of the Dipwinmen clan; Limwehtu later transformed
into a bird
- Two species of beings, Arem and Liet,
roamed Pohnpei in the past. Arem was the mother of Pohnpeians,
and Liet was cannibalistic
|
- Traditional legends seem closely related
to evolution (the first voyage to Pohnpei, from human to
sea cucumber to bird)
- Some believe in the Christian story
of creation and othes believe the theory of evolution
|
|
| |
RMI
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Lowa, god of creation, created atolls/islands
in RMI and everything on them
- Letao, another god, came second to
create more islands and surrounding developments
|
- Education is introducing the theory
of evolution, but some still cling to traditional beliefs
|
|
| |
Yap
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Mainland Yap – people were descendants
of spirits that once inhabited the islands
- Neighboring islands were created by
mythological super beings
|
- Same as traditional, as well as Christian
and other beliefs
|
|
| |
6.5 What is the extent
of assimilation between and among cultures?
American Samoa
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- Other than food, there is very little
assimilation between Asian and Samoan cultures
- Extensive assimilation between Samoan
and American cultures (clothing, food)
|
|
| |
Chuuk
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- Borrowed words from German, Japanese,
and English are used
- Extensive assimilation between Chuukese
culture and American and Japanese cultures, such as food
and clothing for children
|
|
| |
CNMI
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- Not much assimilation between cultures
in CNMI except for the use of foreign tools, shelter, and
security measures
- Various languages exist in the islands
because of the different administrations in CNMI
|
|
| |
Guam
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Spanish colonization and the arrival
of European people on the island led to intermarriage and
cultural blending
|
- World War II drastically altered Chamorro
life – building emergency villages resulted in separating
families to nuclear family homes, and working for wages
replaced agrarian lifestyle
- Military draft of Chamorro men (especially
during the Korean conflict) led to their exposure to and
involvement with other groups and cultures
- Chamorros slowly assimilated into American
practices and those of others who came to Guam
- Chamorro college students in the U.S.
are introduced to American culture
|
|
| |
Kosrae
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- Mixture of traditional Kosraean culture
with Japanese (cooking style, foods, discipline practices),
American (teaching students, concept of time, government
system), and Hawaiian (food preparation, clothing) cultures
|
|
| |
Palau
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Southwest Islanders (Tobi, Sonsorol,
and Pulo-Anna) adopted some Palauan culture and customs
such as their language and chewing betel nut
|
- Palauans adopted some foreign cultures
and customs (including religion) such as celebrating the
holidays (U.S.) and eating sweet black bean soup on New
Year’s Day (Japan)
- Other examples of assimilation are
sports such as basketball, soccer, baseball, and football
and other games, including the Japanese equivalent of jacks
(played with small rice bags)
|
|
| |
Pohnpei
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- Some people still live their lives
according to traditional beliefs/customs
- Some borrow lifestyles, words, clothing
(dresses, pants), and food (canned goods) from the U.S.
and other islands in Micronesia
- Assimilation of cultures seems to strengthen
ties between Pohnpei and cultures of administering authorities
(Spain, Germany, Japan, U.S.)
|
|
| |
RMI
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- Assimilation is more evident on the
central island: Teenagers wear American clothing styles
and use a mixture of English and Marshallese in their daily
conversation
- In the outer islands, people still
keep to their own traditions
|
|
| |
Yap
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- Majority group in society plays a big
role (minority does not)
- Mobility of people between and among
communities has caused greater interaction between members
of different culture groups; each group still maintains
distinctive cultural characteristics
|
|
| |
6.6 What is the sense
of national or cultural indentity?
American Samoa
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- One must practice and live in the faa-Samoa
(the Samoan way of life)
|
- Samoans are very proud people who practice
their culture wherever they go
|
|
| |
Chuuk
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- The better educated that Chuukese are,
the more they understand and are proud of their culture
|
|
| |
CNMI
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Carolinians took pride in great ocean
navigators, great healers, language, music, and dance
|
- Same as traditional
- Carolinians are proud to be Carolinians
|
|
| |
Guam
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Everyone strongly identified and valued
the culture
- 300 years of Spanish colonization did
not change the language and family values of the Chamorros
|
- Chamorro families and individuals who
live away from the island organize social clubs that serve
as vehicles for continuing and maintaining social and cultural
practices; such organizations are found in every Chamorro
community in the United States
- Strong Chamorro identity still exists
with very strong ties to the island home and families
|
|
| |
Kosrae
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- Kosraeans are proud of their culture,
language, and traditions
|
|
| |
Palau
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
- Different clans and villages waged
war against one another with paramount chiefs leading the
two main factions of Palau (northern versus southern)
- People identified themselves by their
clan, village, immediate village chief, and up the chain
of leadership to the paramount chief
|
- Palauans who live in Guam, the U.S.,
and FSM maintain their identity by speaking the Palauan
language and organizing themselves to promote cultural interests;
some enclaves of Palauans in these areas practice traditional
customs and rituals
- Main villages have assumed statehood
in the constitution of modern Palau; thus, people generally
identify with and pride themselves on their state (e.g.,
people from Ngiwal pride themselves on the expression “seven
eat-nine soup” – they are said to eat their
famous Ngiwal soup seven times during the course of a day)
|
|
| |
Pohnpei
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- Sense of Pohnpeian nationalism is stronger
than general Micronesian nationalism, partly because of
the uniqueness of the Pohnpeian language
- No matter where they are, Pohnpeians
show national and cultural pride through using their language
and drinking sakau in kava ceremonies, and keeping a low
profile out of respect for others
|
|
| |
RMI
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- Marshallese are proud to profess their
nationality and cultural identity
|
|
| |
Yap
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- Sense of regionalism exists, but island/community
identity is stronger and more prevalent
|
|
| |
6.7 For what reasons
and under what circumstances did the U.S. arrive? What other nations
made an impact or were part of the history?
American Samoa
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- U.S. was primarily interested in the
natural harbor (relationship was made legal and political
in 1900)
- No other nation has had an impact on
the history and development of American Samoa
|
|
| |
Chuuk
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- U.S. administered Chuuk as part of
the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands from 1947-1986;
they saw Chuuk’s location as a “strategic area”
- Spain, Germany, and Japan (mandated
by League of Nations) came to Chuuk for labor/business purposes
- Chuuk signed a Compact of Free Association
with the U.S. on November 3, 1986
|
|
| |
CNMI
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- U.S. captured islands from the Japanese
in 1944 and were given trusteeship until 1986
- Spanish influenced culture, language,
religion, and food
- Germany influenced education and health
- Japanese impact is evident in borrowed
words and food
|
|
| |
Guam
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- Because of the Spanish-American War,
the U.S. realized the strategic value of Guam and made it
its possession in 1898
- Japan occupied Guam during World War
II
- U.S. came back in 1944 to reclaim Guam
from Japan
|
|
| |
Kosrae
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- Japanese influenced Kosraean language
and discipline
- Hawaiian missionaries introduced their
clothing style
- U.S. impact includes aggressiveness,
concept of time, and political/economic systems
- Whalers brought with them the idea
of trade, cigarettes, and alcoholic beverages
- Military strategic reason for the U.S.
– to keep out other countries and prevent them from
establishing themselves on the islands
|
|
| |
Palau
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- U.S. came to Palau after defeating
Japan in World War II and administered Palau under UN Trusteeship
agreements as the administering authority
- Spain, Germany, and Japan also administered
Palau and affected the culture (borrowing words in the respective
language, abolishing certain traditional norms and customs
inconsistent with Christian beliefs, changing social values
from simple and traditional to sophisticated and modern)
|
|
| |
Pohnpei
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- U.S. Navy arrived in Pohnpei after
World War II, authorized under the Trusteeship Agreement,
to administer and develop Micronesians educationally and
economically
- Japan fortified the island and advocated
corporal punishment to control misbehavior
- Germany was in Pohnpei for business,
trade, and plantation development; they introduced to the
traditional chiefs, who originally owned land, the idea
of tenure land ownership system for commoners
- Germany also instituted a tribute system
called “No Pay” (now known as “Nohpwei”),
which required landowners to provide tributes from the land
to the chief with no reciprocity
- Spain came into Pohnpei primarily for
religious purposes and impacted Pohnpeians with religion
|
|
| |
RMI
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- U.S. defeated the Japanese and took
over the islands in World War II
- Germany and Spain impacted religion
- Use of Kwajalein for military purposes
by U. S. Army
|
|
| |
Yap
| Traditional |
Contemporary |
| |
- Part of strategic Trust Territory administered
by U.S. after World War II, mainly to keep out the military
interests of other countries
- Spain, Germany, and Japan also impacted
people and cultures (clothing, food, etc.)
|
|
|
