page_title: Carolinian people
section_title: Typhoon devastation and Spanish era (1697–1899)
hierarchical_section_title: Carolinian people / History / Typhoon devastation and Spanish era (1697–1899)
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Landsat-7-Falschfarbenbild der Atolle Elato (oben) und Lamolior (unten), Staat Yap, Föderierte Staaten von Mikronesien English: Landsat 7 false-colour image of Elato and Lamolior (bottom) Atoll, Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia
context_page_description: Carolinians are an Austronesian ethnic group who originated in Oceania, in the Caroline Islands, with a total population of around 8,500 people. They are also known as Remathau in the Yap's outer islands. The Carolinian word means "People of the Deep Sea." It is thought that their ancestors may have originally immigrated from Asia and Indonesia to Micronesia around 2,000 years ago. Their primary language is Carolinian, called Refaluwasch by native speakers, which has a total of about 5,700 speakers. The Carolinians have a matriarchal society in which respect is a very important factor in their daily lives, especially toward the matriarchs. Most Carolinians are of the Roman Catholic faith.
  The immigration of Carolinians to Saipan began in the early 19th century, after the Spanish killed most of the local population of Chamorro natives, reducing them to just 3,700. They began immigrating by sailing mostly from small canoes via islands which were previously devastated by a typhoon. The Carolinians have a much darker complexion than the native Chamorros.
context_section_description: In the late 1600s leprosy was present in the Marianas. The Spaniards tried to deal with this by quarantining lepers to Saipan and Tinian. These islands were isolated. Spaniards brought Carolinians to these islands to help the hospitals holding the patients with leprosy.
  Chamorro sargento mayor Luís de Torres became an important source for people who wanted information of the Carolinian people.
  During this time the people built a boat called Waa (canoe). This is a boat built for the sea. They were for transporting cargo and passengers over long distances.
  In Guam, Carolinians came to Talofofo Bay in 1788. They were on a voyage. The reason why they stopped there was because they wanted iron. This kind of trade hadn't occurred in over a hundred years in Guam since the military conflicts between Spanish and Chamorros.
  In the 19th century the Refaluwasch moved from Elato and Satawal islands in the East and West part of the Carolinian islands to what is now Northern Mariana Islands.   
  The two islands were destroyed by typhoon. Refaluwasch were starving during this time. Chief Nguschul of Elato along with Chief Aghurubw of Satawal led the people to the NMI. They landed at Micro Beach. After coming to Saipan they built a village called Arabwal.  Right now this area is in American Memorial Park. This was not the only village built. The other one Ppiyal Oolang. This area is where Nguschul and his group settled. The Carolinians continued to come here in the 100s as well as other areas such as Guam and Tinian.  
  The Spanish allowed them to keep their culture.
  During the mid 1800s Carolinians moved to Tamuning due to a 1849 typhoon which devastated their land.
  During this time they took over inter-island travel during the latter half of the 18th century and 19th century. They used a ship called banca to travel.
  In 1865 265 Carolinians were transferred from the Carolines by Englishman George Johnston. He moved them to Pagan.
  The Tanapag village was setup by some Refaluwasch who left Tinian island in 1879.
  Ten years later in 1889 Governor Olive had the Refaluwasch on Tinian relocate to Tanapag.
caption: This is an image of Elato from outer space.
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