New perspectives on the Chamorro female experience: Case studies of nine contemporary Chamorro women organizers (Guam, Pacific, indigenous, culture change) [microform]
- Bib ID:
- 3282774
- Format:
- Book and Microform
- Author:
- Souder-Jaffery, Laura Marie Torres
- Description:
- 423 p.
- Summary:
-
Traditional cultures are threatened, as never before, by the homogenizing effects of modernization. The indigenous culture of the American Pacific Territory of Guam is a case in point. The Chamorro story is also a contemporary illustration of the struggle for meaning and identity which complicates the lives of many Americans in pursuit of that ever-illusive "American Dream." The dialectic between tradition and modernity is clearly manifest in the changing values and behavior of Chamorro women. This study examines the Chamorro female experience--their historical and current position, status, and roles--by documenting and analyzing the experiences of 82 Chamorro women organizers. Nine in-depth testimonies provided as case studies further illuminate the conflicts and coping strategies of Chamorro women in transition. Research utilizes an interdisciplinary approach combining an indigenous and female perspective.
Conceptual and analytical frameworks have been inspired by the works of feminist scholars. As the central activity of the dissertation is actually to document the experiences of at least a few Chamorro women, in-depth oral interviews are the principal data gathering technique. Chamorro women enjoyed a high status in all spheres of ancient Chamorro society. Their esteemed position began to change with the introduction of Christianity and Spanish colonization. American control over Guam worsened the effects of colonization. New socializing forces concomitant with modernization have been instrumental in remaking female "ideals" in the eyes of contemporary Chamorro women. A host of unfamiliar images have challenged their historical position of power.
Ironically, "progress" may prove to be the most significant threat thus far to the historically advantaged status of Chamorro women. The personal testimonies of Chamorro women organizers attest to their contributions as makers and shapers of island events and policies and to the continuity of traditional female roles. While modern trends have increasingly affected the cultural foundations which have shaped their contemporary status and roles, subjects unequivocally establish that Chamorro women continue to be influencial and powerful in Chamorro society. Their experiences illuminate the broader struggle for continuity and identity of traditional peoples caught in the tide of unprecedented global change.
- Notes:
-
- (UnM)AAI8520311
- Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-07, Section: A, page: 2103.
- Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Hawai'i, 1985.
- Reproduction:
- Microfiche. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms International.
- Subject:
- Women's Studies
- Other authors/contributors:
- University of Hawai'i
- Copyright:
-
In Copyright
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Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Literary Dramatic Musical
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 1985
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