Rethinking "Village" and "Community" in Ancient CHamoru Society By Dr. Boyd Dixon and Aja Reyes Archaeologist, Stantec, and SEARCH; and Marine Biologist, Field Scientist, and GISAnalyst Abstract: The profession of archaeology, as practiced in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, is challenged to define the nature and limits of the traditional Latte Period CHamoru/Chamorro "village" as used in public discourse today. Today, it appears many villages are recognized by extended families and their long-term neighbors who have occupied one locally defined landscape over generations. The contemporary term "community" is therefore proposed here instead of village when referring to a broader range of Latte Period archaeological sites and associated activities such as ceramic manufacture presumably integrated especially during times of shared need and celebration.
Presentation Recording
Introduction to Ancient CHamoru Society
The profession of archaeology, as practiced in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, is challenged to define the nature and limits of the traditional Latte Period CHamoru "village" as used in public discourse today. This is not surprising since villages in Guam are not generally defined on modern island maps, only municipalities. Today, it appears villages are recognized by extended families and their long-term neighbors who have occupied one particular geographically defined landscape over generations, and many are focused on their Catholic church and the yearly events that revolve around them. The contemporary term "community" is therefore used here instead of village when referring to a broader range of Latte Period archaeological sites often associated with a wider set of CHamoru placenames, some perhaps shared by other communities in northern or southern Guam. In this paper, selected archaeological sites representing particular communities of coastal "villages" and farming "zones" on the northern plateau of