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Carolinians

Carolinian family in 1915
Total population
8,500
Regions with significant populations
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, Caroline Islands, Guam
Languages
Carolinian, Chamorro, and American English
Religion
Roman Catholic & Traditional religion(s)

The Carolinian, or Refaluwasch people are an Austronesian ethnic group who originated in Oceania, in the eastern Caroline Islands, with a total population of around 8,500 people. It is thought that their ancestors may have originally immigrated from Asia and Indonesia to Micronesia around 2,000 years ago. Their primary language is Carolinian, called Refaluwasch by native speakers, which has a total of about 5,700 speakers. The Carolinians have a matriarchal society in which respect is a very important factor in their daily lives, especially toward the matriarchs. Most Carolinians are of the Roman Catholic faith.

The immigration of Carolinians to Saipan began in the early 19th century, after the Spanish killed most of the local population of Chamorro natives, reducing them to just 3,700. They began to immigrate mostly sailing from small canoes from other islands, which a typhoon previously devastated. The Carolinians have a much darker complexion than the native Chamorros.

History

The people have a long history from Caroline Islands and CNMI too the present in the 21st century.

Pre-Spanish era (antiquity-1697)

They have a history stretching back over 3000 years. The Carolinian people had contact with the Chamorro people for years. They had a long history of traveling from the Caroline Islands to what is now Guam. "Pre-contact" Carolinian designed pestles, hooks for fishing, and rings made out of shells found on the ground and beneath it show contact between the two groups.

They built canoes that would have a small roof. The roof only went over less than have of the canoe. The sides could be different colors. The boat could fit over 9 adults in it.^[1]

Before colonial times a system called sawei was practiced. The word sawei means Yapese chief, conqueror, tyrant. This involved the Carolinians gathering once every two or three years in Yap. This system may have existed before the year 1600. More on this is discuss in the religion section.

Trade between the two groups went on even during the Spanish occupation of Guam.

Typhoon devastation & Spanish era (1697-1899)

Chamorro sargento mayor Luís de Torres became a important source for people who wanted information of the Carolinian people.

In the 19th century the Refaluwasch moved from Elato and Satawal islands in the East and West part of the Carolinian islands^[2] to what is now Northern Mariana Islands.

This is an image of Elato from outer space.

The two islands were destroyed by typhoon. Refaluwasch were starving during this time. Chief Nguschul of Elato along with Chief Aghurubw of Satawal led the people to the NMI. After coming to Saipan they built a village called Arabwal. Right now this area is in American Memorial Park.^[3]This was not the only village built. The other one Ppiyal Oolang^[4]. This area is where Nguschul and his group settled.

This is an aerial view of Saipan the island the people came too after the islands were hit by the typhoon.

The Spanish allowed them to keep their culture.

During this time they took over inter-island travel during the latter half of the 18th century and 19th century. They used a ship called banca to travel.

German period (1899-1914)

Germany purchased the Northern Mariana Islands with the exception of Guam. This area became known as the German Northern Marianas. This was the shortest period a country controlled this area. They didn't change the culture of the Carolinians a lot but did bring in new ways of schooling, bureaucracy, architecture, and administration^[5].

Georg Fritz on November 17, 1899 became the first district officer of this area. He set up programs which brought the Carolinians and Chamorro people living on the islands together.

Carolinians didn't own land during this time unlike the Chamorros living here.

US naval era (1899-1903)

In Guam the people were made to adopt Western ways because of the U.S. Naval Administration. One example of this was banning nudity. In Guam the first American governor was Richard P. Leary (1899-1900). He issued an order where Carolinian women in Guam weren't allowed to be naked when ever he visited. This was done away with by Governor William E. Sewell (1903-1904). The men were not allowed to be naked either. Many went to Saipan to avoid doing this. The constant nudity of the people bothered the second American governor Seaton Schroeder (1900-1903) so much that he decided to move them off the island. They were sent to CNMI through an agreement with the Germans who controlled those islands. They wanted additional laborers.

Japanese administration and occupation (1914-1945)

Japan took over the Mariana Islands in 1914. They were able to keep it due to the Treaty of Versailles.

This is located on Saipan and is the location of Arabwal. The names of Carolinians who died during WWII are inscribed in granite panels.^[6]

The Carolinians had villages which the Japanese called kanakas. These villages were controlled by sosoncho and soncho. Sosoncho is a general village chieftain. A soncho is a village chieftain. These chieftains didn't always have position under the traditional tribal patterns.

While the Japanese controlled these islands they used these people as laborers for mining and handling phosphate ore. Carolinians were not treat as well as the Chamorros who worked with them. The Japanese and other colonial powers during this time (WWI-WWII) would not allow Carolinians to do canoe navigation over large distances.^[7] During this time a term was used to refer to the Micronesian people under Japanese control which was 'Tomin.' Tomin meant inhabitants of the land. The Carolinian and Chamorro people viewed this as a put down since Japanese used it as part of discrimination. The people were kept under strict surveillance.^[8] They were enslaved in 1944.^[7] During this time few in this indigenous community served as scouts for the U.S. military. They served in the U.S. Marines.

On Saipan some Refaluwasch families were under an American military government. Some of them were in Camp Susupe.

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  The camp was used for Refaluwasch people as well as Japanese.
  

  
  

  
  

Some Refaluwasch were restricted from returning to their lands during this occupation. One of the reasons why they were interned was because the United States government wanted them to learn English as well as American political and social life. They were allowed to farm and fish before the evening. They had to return to the Camp when night came.

After the Japanese surrender Refaluwasch were allowed to return to their lands.

Post World War II (1945-present)

They have served in the Vietnam War. Only less than a 100 are known.

As of 2018 Refaluwasch in the Marianas have one of the highest rates of service in the U.S. military.

In 2018 former Acting Governor of Northern Mariana Islands Victor Hocog signed a proclamation to make September Chamorro and Carolinian Heritage Month. In the month you have special day called Chief Aghurubw Day. The former is held on Sept. 29. Chief Aghurubw and his people travel from Satawal to Saipan before setting up the first Carolinian settlement in CNMI in 1815.

Population & Economic Figures

The population in 1999 on the CNMI was 3,500.

Carolinians due to Compact of Free Association have increased greatly on Guam. As of the 2000 U.S. census the population is around 11,000.

They are 4.6 % of the population on CNMI.

During the late 90's it was estimated they had 20 percent unemployment. Also during this time they were behind the Chamorros in terms of economics. The Chamorro people were more economical development than they were. This has been going on for a long time in their community. They were susceptible to progress' bad effects.^[9]

Resistance to U.S. militarization

Despite the fact there are high rates of service for the military in this community there has been resistance to buildup. Refaluwasch women are using different ways to resist military build up in the Marianas Archipelago. They have used digital, legal, political, and spiritual methods to resist this. They are using lawsuits supported by the National Environmental Protection Act. They are using this against the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of the Navy.

Culture

View of a portion of Managaha Island.

Their culture originated from the islands Yap and Chuuk in what is now the Federated States of Micronesia.

The Managaha Island^[10] is sacred in Refaluwasch culture due to the fact Chief Aghurubw is buried there.

There is a dance called Bwai which is a Refaluwasch women dance.

Respect in their culture is very important like that of the Chamorro people.

In the history of their culture there is a concept called tipiyeew. This means solidarity.

Mwei-mwei is a Refaluwasch way of adopting children. Its done between family members most of the time. Its initiated by females. This usually done by wives. The children adopted are usually babies but can be nine, ten, or eleven years old. The natural parents must give permission. After permission is given and the child is adopted the parents who take in the child or children in this custom treat them like a natural child in all situations.

Traditional dress

The Carolinian people had to give up native dress for more modest Western clothing.

Women in different cases would wear a long skirt up to the bottom of their breasts.

The flower structure in a circle is an example of a mar-mar.

There is a wreath that's still worn call a mar-mar. Its still worn by many of them.

Death

When a person dies lots of sweet-smelling plants are placed all over it. Flovers and vines are used to do this. The body is rolled up into pandanus mat. At the right time women place the body on the water and move it to the edge of a particular reef. The put weights with the dead person in the current which takes the body out to the ocean.

In their culture places called Fiirourow used to deal with people who passed. These are ancestral villages and places where the Refaluwasch go to burn the belongings of love ones. The places are located in the reefs.

Sometimes the body is burned and the ashes are 'return' to the ocean. In other cases the skull is put in sacred place. This is done for a spiritual reason.

Water

The water around the Northern Mariana Islands has been integral to these people. They have respect and connection to the sea. In the culture men would go out and get food while women would prepare. The women would scale clean and scale fish.

They have celestial navigation skills. They share with the Native Hawaiians and Chamorro people a common ancient origin and seafaring navigation achievements.

Carolinian customary law

Under this law property can be owned by one person or a whole family. The CNMI Code says family land should be held for the equal enjoyment of all members.

Traditional Carolinian land tenure involve women. Land was passed down from mother to daughter. The land was owned and controlled by women. The oldest female in the maternal line with the longest held title would be a "trustee" for the rest of the lineage members.

Food

Seafood makes up a big part of their meat dishes. They have a history of fishing that goes over thousands of years.^[11] Fishing trips are not just for feeding a small group of people but also for annual village parties, baptisms and confirmations, marriages, and other special celebrations. After fish are caught some of it may be given to the wife of the fisherman's family members as well as others.

In the past palu (navigators) brought food from the sea. They were respected.

Payúr is a fish that is caught using a poiu (fishing stone). Payúr is Refaluwasch for mackerel scad. Poiu consists of a limestone spherical sinker. Its smoothed into the shape of an egg. Holes are put into it. After this a inverted half coconut shell that's either the same size or a little smaller is connected with a cordage. Half of the coconut is filled with mashed or ground meat from a young coconut. This is similar to churn. This is to draw fish to it. This whole device is tied using a longer cord that's 50 or 60 feet in length. The cord is very long so that the poiu can be lowered into deeper water to feed fish. The poiu is set down on the sea bed before being moved closer to above the water over the course of a month. The Payúr are eventually gathered using a scoop net after getting to the surface.

One of the ways they prepare food involves using a uumw. Uumw is a traditional underground oven where you roasted food.

Language

This is a Chuukic language. The language has different versions. Carolinian is one of the official languages in the CNMI.

Written records of this language go back to the late 1700s.

For more information read the Carolinian language article.

Religion

Traditional religion(s)

Despite the Catholic faith many of them use land to talk to their ancestors. Land in their culture is not just "property." Its a spiritual matter. The place is where people can talk to their ancestors as well as collect unique properties for healing and teach traditions to future generations.

In their religion or religions they had i animas. Spiritual ancestors of the CNMI.

The ocean to these people is not just important to them its spiritual. According to some of them its spiritually central to Carolinian Indigeneity.

Before the Spanish brought Catholicism there was a religion where Supreme being called Yalafar was worshiped. There is also in this same religion a individual called Can who is a bad spirit.

After a individual dies in certain cases their skull is kept because some believe the spirit of the late relative can visit their family when necessary. The living have great respect for the dead. In their culture concerning their traditional religion(s) spirits of the dead can assist or hurt the living. It is also believed that since the spirit world is the source of all things in this world everything that lives or is real must be respected. They contain spirits which go by different names such as ghosts, taotaomo'na, white ladies, among other names.

As mentioned earlier they had a system called sawei. They would bring materials (offerings) to their "fathers" in exchange for "spiritual protection." One of the other reasons why people brought offerings was because of Yapese magicians. They were believed to have power over the weather.

Roman Catholicism

Roman Catholicism dominants in their societies. Due to Spanish missionary influence they also use rosaries and novenas.

Efforts to bring Christianity to these people began with Father Paul Klein during the 1600s. One of the people to bring Catholicism to them was Father Juan Antonio Cantova in the early 1700s.

In 1819 a group of Carolinians were told to accept Christianity before moving in to Saipan. The agreement (which included other things) was authorized by officials in Manila.

Family, Gender, & Health

Family

In 1999 domestic violence was said to be a widespread.^[9]

Gender

Health

The Managaha Island is not only a sacred place but it has been used to get medicinal plants.^[12]

In the community in 1999 they were dealing with drug abuse, alcoholism, and obesity. The main drug was crystal methamphetamine.^[7]

Notable people

Chief Aghurubw of the Ghatoliyool clan^[13] and chief of Satawal brought the Refaluwasch in Satawal to CNMI in 1815.

Chief Nguschul of Elato (a coral reef atoll consisting of three islands) brought his group to what is now CNMI in 1815 and named a village Ppiyal Oolang which in English means "beach view sky."

Lino (Urushemeyoung) Mettao Olopai^[14] (1940-) was responsible for maintaining the Carolinian culture.

The first Refaluwasch woman to become a lawyer was Cinta Matagolai^[15] Kaipat.

Sarilyn Ogumoro Escobar became the first Carolinian to be a commissioned officer in US Navy.^[16]

External links

• Allen, Stewart D. & Amesbury, Judith R. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands As a Fishing Community. NOAA. 2012, https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/library/pubs/tech/NOAA_Tech_Memo_PIFSC_36.pdf
  


• Bagnol, Raquel C. Managaha's cultural heritage. Marianas Variety. 2013, http://www.mvariety.com/index.php/special-features/my-marianas/56422-managaha-s-cultural-heritage
  


• Carrell, Toni L. Micronesia Submerged Cultural Resources Assessment. NPS. 1991,https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1635/upload/NNPS_903_D161_-37387.pdf
  


• Collier, R. Navigating Modernity / The Carolinians, a tiny group of islanders on Saipan, in the western Pacific, have seen their ancient culture succumb to consumerism. As they try to salvage what they can of their past, they are helping to lead a cultural revival am. SF Gate.1999, https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Navigating-Modernity-The-Carolinians-a-tiny-3774200.php
  


• "Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands." Department of the Interior, https://www.doi.gov/oia/islands/cnmiAccessed 3 April 2019.


• James Ellis, S. Saipan Carolinian, One Chuukic Language Blended From Many. University Of Hawaii. 2012, http://www.ling.hawaii.edu/graduate/Dissertations/JimEllisFinal.pdf
  


• Encinares, Erwin. Tudela: Indigenous Affairs Expo a success. Saipan Tribune. 2018, https://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/tudela-indigenous-affairs-expo-a-success/
  


• Frain, Sylvia C. 'Make America Secure'. Pacific Media Centre. 2018, https://ojs.aut.ac.nz/pacific-journalism-review/article/download/407/629/
  


• Lirio, Lori Lyn C. 2nd Indigenous Cultural Expo bigger than last year's. Marianas Variety. 2018, http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/108113-2nd-indigenous-cultural-expo-bigger-than-last-year-s
  


• Manabat, B. Flame Tree Arts Festival honors 11 artists, cultural advocates. Marianas Variety. 2016, http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/85452-flame-tree-arts-festival-honors-11-artists-cultural-advocates
  


• Severance, Craig. Customary Exchange Maintains Cultural Continuity. Pacific Islands Fishery News. 2010, https://www.wpcouncil.org/outreach/newsletters/PIFN_summer2010.pdf
  


• CNMI Supreme Court. In The Matter Of The Estate of Aguida Amires. Supreme Court CNMI. 1996, http://www.cnmilaw.org/pdf/supreme/1997-MP-08.pdf
  


• Taman, Candido B. et al. A House Commemorative Resolution. House Of Representatives. 2006, http://cnmileg.gov.mp/documents/house/hse_comres/15/HCR15-17.pdf
  


• 
  "Joshua Project Carolinian of Northern Mariana Islands Ethnic People Prolife". Retrieved December 1, 2008..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
  


• 
  "Saipan History & Culture". Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  


• 
  "NEA National Heritage Fellowships: Felipe I. and Joseph K. Ruak, Carolinian stick dancers". Archived from the original on October 5, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  


• 
  "The Insular Empire: America in the Mariana Islands", a one-hour PBS documentary distributed by New Day Films. Directed by Vanessa Warheit. New Day Films, 2010.


• 
  "Pacific Footsteps Program Four". Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  


• 
  "CNMI Tanapag --Onwards:People". Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved December 3, 2008.
  


• Goetzfridt, Nicholas J. "Carolinians on Guam". Guampedia. n.d., https://www.guampedia.com/carolinians-on-guam/ Retrieved on March 11, 2019.


• Lirio, Lori Lyn C. "September proclaimed Chamorro and Carolinian Cultural Heritage Month". The Guam Daily Post. 2018, https://www.postguam.com/news/cnmi/september-proclaimed-chamorro-and-carolinian-cultural-heritage-month/article_bc820b5e-aff9-11e8-970b-f3ce9c49a4fc.html Retrieved on March 11, 2019.