Archeologists learn about societies and cultures of the past by looking at the objects or artifacts that people left behind. Some of the most useful artifacts to study are tools.
Ancient CHamoru Tool Making Read Post »
Health and wellness. Because of the biological nature of our bodies, people get sick, and people die. Illness and death are a part of life. However, people are not just physical beings—our complex cultures separate us from other living organisms.
Ancient CHamoru Medicine Making Read Post »
Tooth staining. Unlike clothing or hairstyles, body modifications are changes made to the body itself that are of a more permanent nature. Among the CHamoru people, the most remarkable examples of these kinds of modifications were tooth etching and staining.
Ancient CHamoru Body Modification Read Post »
Body ornamentation. All human cultures practice some form of body ornamentation. Body ornamentation refers to the ways in which people decorate or dress their bodies for any number of reasons or occasions.
Ancient CHamoru Jewelry: Manmade Accessories and Body Coverings Read Post »
Prelude to war. For the ancient CHamorus warfare was sporadic and functioned primarily to resolve political, economic, and social conflicts among different clans or villages. Although these confrontations were not large in scale, nor extremely violent, the ancient CHamorus took warfare seriously.
Cultural Aspects of Ancient CHamoru Warfare Read Post »
Beauty as a cultural concept. Different cultures have different ways of defining and understanding “beauty.” In general, beauty is a characteristic of a person or object that people find appealing. Beauty evokes an experience of pleasure or satisfaction.
Ancient CHamoru Concepts of Beauty Read Post »
In 1597 the Dutch began raiding into the Pacific, hoping that by attacking the Spanish colonies and ships they could force the Spanish to grant them independence. In 1598 the Dutch launched an expedition to the Pacific under Admiral Oliver van Noort, who was acclaimed a hero for striking at the Spanish and completing the fourth expedition (after Magellan, Hawkins, and Cavendish) to circumnavigate the globe.
Adventurer: Oliver van Noort Read Post »
Interpretive essay: No evidence of CHamoru tattoo from ancient times. Tattoo is often thought to have been a universal cultural practice in the Pacific islands. However, that probably isn’t true. Archaeologists have found no evidence that the CHamoru people of the Mariana Islands used tattoo.
On The Question of Tattoo by Ancestral CHamorus Read Post »
