Guma Taga; House of Taga, Northern Mariana Islands

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

The House of Taga (Chamoru language: Guma Taga) is an archaeological site near San Jose Village on Tinian Island, in the U.S. territory of the Northern Mariana Islands. Here, there is a group of prehistoric latte stone pillars that were quarried about 4,000 feet south of the site. Only one of of the pillars is left standing due to past earthquakes. The name is derived from a mythological chief named Taga, who is said to have erected the pillars as a foundation for his house. It is the largest of the latte stone sites in the Mariana Islands and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

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Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The House of Taga, a latte stone complex, is according to legend the home of Chief Taga. Taga led a unifying campaign, which resulted in his assuming the monarchy of the entire Marianas Chamorro population. According to legend, he was a man of great stature, and hence, the huge size of the House of Taga. Another legend puts Taga as originating from Guam and swimming to Rota, almost 50 miles away. According to that legend, Taga began the As Nieves Quarry on Rota Island and abandoned it for unclear reasons before sailing with his wife and children to Tinian. He carried the pillars by himself with his superhuman strength. His was the largest in the Marianas.

There was originally a complex of some 18 structures. Seventeen of them were destroyed during the urban expansion of Tinian before the end of World War II. The pillars and capstones are coral limestones that were quarried on Tinian. They are weathered and pock marked with moss and grass. The prehistoric latte stone pillars stood 15 feet high, and were quarried about 4,000 feet south of the site. The original megaliths consisted of a base (haligi) and a hemispherical cap (tasa). When erected in spaced parallel rows, it is believed a house was built on top. Of the 12 upright stones that were sketched by British explorer George Anson during his visit to Tinian in 1742, only one is standing. Sites with similar latte stone arrangements on nearby Saipan were carbon dated to 1,500 B.C.

As the National Register of Historic Places notes, "All latte sites have yielded considerable amounts of pottery, stone tools, and skeleton remains, but the greatest significance of this latte structure lies in its size and in its potential link with the leader of the original Chamorro unity."

Sources

House of Taga, National Registry of Historic Places. Accessed July 21st 2020. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/983bd528-0d98-45eb-9849-279c67380cac/.

Morgan, William N.. Prehistoric Architecture in Micronesia. University of Texas Press, 1989.

Stanley, David. South Pacific Handbook: With Galapagos Support. TBS The Book Service Ltd, 1982.

Childress, David Hatcher. Ancient Micronesia & the Lost City of Nan Madol: Including Palau, Yap, Kosrae, Chuuk & the Marianas. Adventures Unlimited Press, 1998.

Acosta, Therese F.. Flood, Bo., Flood, William, and Strong, Beret E. Micronesian Legends. Volume "The Story of Taga". Bess Press, 2002.