Guampedia Entries
Guampedia entries related to Amot.
- Ancient CHamoru Medicine Making
- Animism
- Birth
- Discipline
- Guam Pattera (Nurse Midwives)
- Hale’-ta: Amot Siha
- Hale’-ta: CHamoru Cultural Glossary
- Kava: A Popular Plant of the Pacific
- Ma’goddai: Strong Urge
- Marriage Traditions
- Prebirth
- Spanish Response to CHamoru Depopulation
- Suruhånu yan Amot (Healers and Medicine)
- Taotaomo’na
People and Amot
People who practice or greatly support them.
- Angela Santos Palacios, Master Suruhåna
- Fidel Toves Blas, War Survivor Profile
- Genaro Saralu, Master Åmti Espirituat
- Jose Rosario Alvarez, War Survivor Profile
- Josefa Cruz Certeza, Master Suruhåna
- Juan Cepeda, Master Suruhånu
- Regina Mafnas and Jesus Salas Terlaje, Master Suruhåna and Suruhånu
- Vicente Cabrera Pangelinan
Amot Villages
e-Publications
MARC e-Pubs
- Leon Guerrero, Victoria. “The Art of Amot.” Guam Recorder 3, no. 2 (1973): 34.
2nd Marianas History Conference
Survival of Traditional Healing on Guam
By Tricia Atoigue Lizama, PhD, LCSW
Chamorro, the indigenous people of Guam, have a tradition of herbal medicine and therapeutic massage that predates the Spanish colonization of the 17th century and notably continues to be practiced in modern times. The purpose of this study was to describe how healers perpetuate and preserve traditional practices. Eleven in-depth interviews were conducted with suruhanu and suruhana healers. Analysis indicates that traditional healing practices are actively preserved despite centuries of colonization, cultural denigration, western modernization/militarization, and continuing encroachment on lands where native plants might be gathered for medicinal use. Further, interviews indicate that traditional healing is used by Chamorro and others seeking preventive and curative care, perhaps particularly among those lacking access to western bio-medicine or preferring more culturally responsive, holistic treatment. Findings provide considerations for influencing the development of more culturally responsive practices in conventional western health care and toward health policies that support the perpetuation of traditional alternatives. View presentation slides here.