The Martyrdom of Father Juan Cantova on Ulithi Atoll: The Hegemonic Struggle between Spanish Colonialism and a Micronesian Island Polity
Descantes, Christophe (2004). "The Martyrdom of Father Juan Cantova on Ulithi Atoll: The Hegemonic Struggle between Spanish Colonialism and a Micronesian Island Polity". Missionalia. 32 (3): 394–414.
- Has attachment: File:277379I8.pdf
Abstract: Analysis of the 1731 killing of Jesuit missionary Juan Antonio Cantova on Ulithi Atoll, integrating archaeological, ethnohistorical, and documentary evidence to examine indigenous agency and resistance. Drawing on Jesuit correspondence and archaeological data from Mogmog Island, the study situates the event within a broader Yap-Ulithi socio-political system characterized by hierarchical authority and the sawei exchange network. It argues that Cantova’s missionary efforts disrupted established political and religious structures, particularly the authority of Mogmog as the atoll’s political center and Yap’s regional hegemony. The article evaluates competing explanations for the killing and concludes that resistance was a rational response to perceived threats to social order, religious practice, and political hierarchy. The study contributes to interpretations of early European contact in Micronesia by emphasizing indigenous strategic decision-making rather than passive reception.
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MAG: 2950767803 OpenAlex: W2950767803
