Occupied Oceans, Submerged Sovereignty: Marine Conservation and Chamorro Dispossession in the Northern Mariana Islands

Abstract

This thesis examines equity and environmental justice in ocean governance in the Northern Mariana Islands through the perspectives of Indigenous Chamorro professionals working in coastal management. The research reveals how western approaches to conservation have disenfranchised Chamorros and undermined self-determination efforts over traditional lands and waters. Interviews with Chamorro participants highlight concerns over marginalization in equity initiatives, the challenges of addressing systemic inequalities within a colonial context, and the importance of centering Indigenous voices. By foregrounding Chamorro experiences, knowledges, and aspirations, this thesis highlights the need for a decolonial approach to environmental management in the Marianas that is grounded in Chamorro cultural values like inafa’maolek. Achieving equity requires dismantling prevailing power dynamics and co-creating solutions with Chamorros that honor the inherent rights and responsibilities to ancestral territory.