By: Gene Ashby
Other Readings will be assigned
Class hours: 2:00-2:25 p.m. MWF Office hours: 11:00-12:00 noon Daily
A. Course Description
This is a comparative study of Micronesian culture including customs and beliefs, arts and crafts, kinship and language. The students will familiarize themselves with most islands of Micronesia. The study will focus on some selected islands and comparisons will be made with the rest of the islands. There are so many islands in Micronesia, but the study will be based on the major islands indicated in the course. There are many commonalities in the customs, dances, cooking, languages, tattooing, and yet there is uniqueness for each island group.
Students will be able to explain, compare, contrast Micronesian customs and beliefs related to: marriage and childbirth, death and funerals, canoes and fishing, farming and food, land tenure and leadership.
Tasks:
After listening to lecture, reading of the assigned texts the students will be able to:
1. Report to the class the differences in childbirths in Micronesia.
2. Compare the similarities in childbirths, marriages, and funerals in Micronesia.
3. Describe the differences of childbirths, marriages, and funerals in Micronesia.
4. Describe farming ways in Micronesia.
5. List different foods in Micronesia, and classify which island is known for what kind of food.
6. Identify who ruled or rules the land in Micronesia.
7. Indicate how is land ownership is determined.
Students will be able to distinguish between the various types of Micronesian canoes in terms of design and construction methods.
Tasks:
After viewing the videos,
reading, and looking at pictures, and observing different canoes on the islands
the students will be able to:
1.
Show different pictures
of canoes from different islands in Micronesia.
2.
Visit a site where
there is canoe on display.
3.
List steps in making a
canoe.
4.
Report to the class on
how a canoe is made.
5.
Interview someone on
how a canoe is made.
6.
Research on different
canoes in the Pacific.
Students will be able to explain the traditional navigation methods used by Micronesian seafarers.
Tasks:
Following the observation
of a canoe on the island, and visiting a canoe maker, the students will be able
to:
1.
Define what is
navigation.
2.
Recite the terms or
word used in the island navigation.
3.
Compare the modern
navigation with the traditional navigation.
4.
Research qualifications
of a modern navigator.
5.
List some Micronesian
navigators both traditional and modern.
Students will be able to identify the origin of various types of chants, dances body adornment and carvings
Tasks:
Following viewing of a
video, reading of chants, listening to a local person who could chant, watching
different dances in the videos, studying the pictures of body adornment, and
visiting a local carving ship, the students will be able to:
1.
Identify different
carving of different islands
2. Point out dances from various islands
3. Show what different islands carve.
4. Identify what kinds of dances were islanders danced.
5. Explain the differences between a chant and a song.
6. Show pictures of tattoos, and explain the purpose.
Students will be able to explain and/ or demonstrate the movements of various dances.
Tasks:
Following a viewing of a
video, and reading of dances in Micronesia and watching local dances, the
students will be able to:
1.
Demonstrate an island
dance.
2.
Identify the most
common type of Micronesian dances.
3.
Indicate from research
the purpose of the Micronesian dance
4.
Explain some movements
of the Micronesian dances.
Students will be able to explain the contents of dances and chants in terms of cultural meaning and significance.
Tasks:
After
watching a video, or a local group of dancers, interviewing a local dancer,
searching the cultural meaning of dances in Micronesia, the students will be
able to:
1.
Explain the content of
some dances in Micronesia
2.
Recite some chants and
discuss the meanings.
3.
Show some videos and
identify what island is that particular dance is from.
4.
List some local chants
5.
Search and read about a
couple of Western chants.
Students will be able to explain the roles and relationships within Micronesian kinship lineages including land tenure and political power.
Tasks:
Following the lecture on
the Micronesian anthropology, or after reading the material, or class
discussion, the students will be able
to:
1.
Define the following
terms: lineages, roles and
relationships, land tenure,
Inheritance,
political power, oral history.
2.
Discuss the systems of
lineages in Micronesia including; matrilineal, and
Patrilineal.
3.
Explain the matrilineal
roles in the families, and why some islands have
Patrilineal
or partilocal.
4.
Determine land
ownership on your island, and the functions.
5.
Discuss the leadership
roles in Micronesia.
6.
Report about the
determination of land ownership today compared to the past.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the
principles and methods of oral
historiography.
Tasks:
Following a lecture,
class discussion, video showing, and picture showing, the students will be able
to:
1.
Define what is oral
historiography.
2.
Explain the origins of
Micronesians.
3.
Describe the pattern of
migration of people into the Micronesian islands.
4.
Compare people in
Micronesia, similarities and differences.
5.
Search in the Pacific
Room, and the internet the historiography of Micronesia.
6.
Explain why oral
historiography is important in Micronesia.
Students will demonstrate an ability to undertake an oral history research project.
Tasks:
After the class
discussion, reading, research examples, interviews , the students will be able
to:
1.
Interview a local
person who can tell about an oral history of the island.
2.
Watch a video and
translate the story.
3.
Report to the class of
the findings of an oral account.
4.
Define what is an oral
history research, give an example.
5.
Demonstrate a short
oral history presentation.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the grammar of Yapese, Chuukese, Kosraen, and Pohnpeian as well as elements of Woleaian, Pinglapese, Mokilese, Kapingamarangi a nd Nukuoran.
Tasks:
Following the class
discussion, language presentation, reading of various languages in Micronesia,
the students will be able to:
1.
Identify sounds of the
different languages in Micronesia.
2.
Demonstrate simple
understanding of simple verb forms.
3.
Recite similar words in
the Micronesian languages.
4.
Review the grammars of
the Micronesian languages.
5.
Find words borrowed
from the former administrations of the islands and compare with the
vernaculars.
6.
List vocabularies to
compare with the other languages in Micronesia.
7.
Write simple sentences
in the languages studied.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of some of the major rules of grammar of the various Micronesian languages.
Tasks:
Following the class
discussion of grammars, listening to a speaker of a language, reading of the
grammar rules the students will be able to:
1.
Translate some words in
vernacular to English.
2.
Write simple sentences
in vernacular.
3.
Identify speakers and
tell what language he or she speaks.
4.
Compare grammatical
usage in the Micronesian languages.
5.
Practice another
Micronesian language to a speaker of the language.
6.
Ask a native speaker to
speak while one w ho is not the speaker to translate it into English.
D. Weekly
Reading Assignments:
Week 1 & 2, read the Social Organizations of the
Eastern Carolines from the hand outs, text readings pages 105-211.
Be able to define the following in each of the societies studied: Childbirth, marriages, house building, canoe making, funeral systems, fishing, food & eating, leadership, and land tenure. Identify the forms of arts and crafts they used as in canoe making, designs, constructions, and navigations. Identify different types of carvings, body adornment, chants, dances, lineages, and the use of languages.
Week 3& 4 Read the Social Organizations of the Western Carolines (Yap islands, and Palau islands from the hand outs, and text reading pages 5-21, 39-73.)
Week 5 & 6 Read the Social Organizations of the Northern Marianas from extra readings on your own, and must be turned in. ( three pages typed, you must summarized, critiqued it). Text readings pages 29-32.
Week 7 & 8; read the Social Organizations of the
Marshall Islands from other extra readings on your own, summarized, and
critiqued it. Text readings from pages 217-241.
8th Week Midterm : Group Presentation
From different language groups. Identify grammatical functions of each of the languages studied. Hand outs will be given out for students to read on the languages.
Week 11 & 12 continued with other languages, and
social structures of areas studied with other readings assigned with the text
readings.
Week 13 & 14 Readings and discussions will be based
on hand outs on Micronesian Arts and Crafts.
View videos and critique them.
Week 15 Review
the proverbs and legends on different islands in Micronesia. Discuss their significance on the people’s
beliefs.
Week 16 Review
Magic and Religions in Micronesia.
Discussions on the hand outs and personal work will be honored.
Week 17 Compare
and Analyze the Pattern of Culture in CNMI, Western Carolines, Eastern Carolines, and Marshalls. Is there a dominant culture?
Week 18 FINAL
EXAM
Alkire, W., Lamotrek atoll and inter-island socioeconomic ties, 1965, University of Ilinois Press Urbana
Ayres, W., Ponape archeological survey, 1978, Trust Territory Historical Preservation Office, Saipan.
Burns, A., Kosrae ethnography, 1997, Micronesia Endowment for Historical Preservation, U.S. National Park Service.
Caroll, V. & Souik, T., Nukuoro Lexicon, 1973, Universtiy of Hawaii Press, Honolulu
Cordy, R., Archeological survey on Innem, Okat & Loal in Kosrae, 1983, trust Territory Historical Preservation Office, Saipan.
Gathereole, P., The art of the Pacific islands, 1979, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Goodenough, W., Property and community on Truk, 1951, Yale Universtiy Press, Princeton.
Goodenough, W., & Sugita, H., Trukese- English Dictionary, 1976 University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.
Guiart, J., The arts of the south Pacific, 1963, Thames & Hudson Press, Paris.
Haddon, A., Canoes of Oceania, 1975, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu.
Harding, T., Cultures of the Pacific, 1979, Free Press, New York.
Harrison, S., & Albert S., Mokilese Reference Grammar, 1976, University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.
Hurd, J., A history and some traditions of Pingelap, an atoll in the East Caroline islands, 1977, unpublished ph.D. dissertation.
Jensen, J., Pugram, L., Iou, J., & Defeg, R., Yapese reference grammar, 1977, University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.
Lee, K. & Asher E., Kosraen reference grammar, 1975, University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.
Lingenfelter, S., Yap: Political leadership and culture change in an island society, 1975, University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.
Murdock, G., Social organization of Truk, 1947, University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.
Poignant, R., Oceanic mythology, 1967, Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd, London.
Rehg, K, & Sohl, D., Pohnpeian reference grammar, 1981, University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.
Rufino, M., Ideological bases for power & leadership on Pohnpei Micronesia: Perspectives from archeology & oral history, 1993, unpublished Ph.D. dissertation.
Schmitz, C., Oceanic art, 1968, Abram Inc. Publishers, New York.
Sinoto, Y., Caroline islands archeology: Investigations on Fefan, Faraulep, Woleai and Lamotrek, 1984, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu.
Sohn, H., Woleaian reference grammar, 1975, University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.
UNESCO, The art of Oceania, 1975, UNESCO, Paris
University of Guam Gallery of Art, Notes on Micronesian art: A working paper in conjunction with the first Micronesian art exhibit at the University of Guam, 1969, Mangilao.
University of Hawaii Art Gallery, The art o f Micronesia, 1968, Honolulu.
Vincent, J., Micronesia’s yesterday, 1973, Trust Territory Department of Education Saipan.
F. Methods of
Instruction:
G. Evaluation
· Attendance / Participation 20 %
· Assignment/ Quizzes 20 %
· Special Project Midterm 20 %
· Portfolio Notes 20 %
· Final Exam 20 %
100 %
H. Attendance Policy
All students will be
subject to the standard COM-FSM attendance policy in the Handbook.
· Portfolio is a hard cover binder, where you keep all your notes, handouts, tests,
extra
readings from other sources, internets,
and anything for this class will be kept in the portfolio. It has to be arranged in a special way like
making a table of
contents,
and separating items from each other.
Make your own creation of art.
This portfolio will be checked at the end of the semester.