Spanish jesuit missions in Guam: Excavations at the colonial church and cementery of San Dionisios at Humatak (Guam ,Mariana islands)

Abstract

This essay outlines and explores the broader implications of preliminary archaeological excavation at the colonial church and cemetery of San Dionisio (Humåtak, Guam, Mariana Islands). The native Chamorro of the Marianas were the first Pacific Islanders to experience European colonization following the inception of Jesuit missionization in 1668. Although the archipelago was once perceived as a peripheral outpost of Spanish colonialism in the 17th century, recent scholar- ship reveals that such locales epitomize the underlying logic of the Jesuit mission system. Moreover, it is increasingly clear that in spite of centuries of colonialism, Guam offers a striking example of indigenous resilience and the vitality of archaeological heritage in the maintenance of contemporary cultural identity.