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Chamorro Culture, Education, Language

Revised Chamorro-English Dictionary

 

As part of a larger effort to preserve and revitalize the language, the CNMI’s Chamorro community began in 2008 to revise Topping, Ogo, and Dungca’s (1975) Chamorro-English Dictionary, which contains entries for some 9,700 headwords. With support from the National Science Foundation, assistance from the CNMI government, and the help of many volunteers, a concerted effort has been made to revise, update, and expand the dictionary.

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Art, Art, Architecture, Body Adornment, Music and Food, Civic Society, Contemporary Art, Contemporary Guam: Education, Creative Expressions, Education, Language, Modern Guam Rises

CHamoru/Chamorro Comic Strip: Juan Malimanga

 

“Juan Malimanga” is the first comic strip in local print news that is written completely in the CHamoru language. The comic strip, originally written by Clotilde Castro Gould and illustrated by Roger Faustino, centers around humorous observations and adventures of the character Juan Malimanga. Despite its continued publication in the Pacific Daily News (PDN), the origins of this iconic comic strip signaled a landmark victory in efforts to overturn the controversial language policies of print media on the island of Guam. 

CHamoru/Chamorro Comic Strip: Juan Malimanga Read Post »

Ancient Guam Era, Chamorro Culture, Guampedia Resources, Historic Eras of Guam, Indigenous Lenses, Language, Our Heritage, Transportation, Technology and Communications

CHamoru/Chamorro Sidereal Direction Terminology

 

In 1817 Adelbert von Chamisso recorded the CHamoru terms for what he assumed were cardinal directions: Timi (North), Seplun (South), Manuu (East), Faniipan (West).  These terms are sidereal or star directions and not completely analogous to the Western concepts of North, South, East and West. Nevertheless, these sidereal directions (of or with respect to the distant stars, i.e., the constellations or fixed stars, not the sun or planets) are fixed and not situational positions on the horizon and can easily be used as abstract cardinal directions.

CHamoru/Chamorro Sidereal Direction Terminology Read Post »

e-Publications, Guam CAHA Workshops, Language

CHamoru/Chamorro Seafaring Lexicon Workshop

 

​3rd Workshop in Preparation for the 12th Festival of Pacific Arts. Guam hosted the Festival of the Pacific Arts (FestPac) in 2016, a region-wide festival celebrating the various arts and cultures of the Pacific. As the host of FestPac 2016, Guam chose the kinds of events to highlight, including traditional performances, arts and craft displays and demonstrations, music, dancing and story-telling.

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Indigenous Lenses, Language

CHamoru/Chamorro Directional Terminology

 

In westernized Guam the cardinal directions are lågu for north, håya for south, kåttan for east and luchan for west. If you examine the map of Guam, produced by the CHamoru Language Commission, that is what you will find in the map legend. However, the directions are different, depending on where you are on the island. Additionally, CHamorus on Saipan say that kåttan is north, luchan is south, håya is east and lågu is west.

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Civic Society, Education, Historic Eras of Guam, Language, Modern Guam Rises, Politics and Government

Role of Education in the Preservation of Guam’s Indigenous Language

 

The goal of education in any society is to impart knowledge and to equip people with the tools necessary to become valuable and contributing members of their community. Yet, who determines what should be taught or what kind of knowledge people should acquire?

Role of Education in the Preservation of Guam’s Indigenous Language Read Post »

CHamoru Quest for Self-Determination, Civic Society, Contemporary Guam Era, Contemporary Guam: Politics, Historic Eras of Guam, Island Life, Language, People and Places, Politics and Government, Villages, Heritage Sites and Island Life

PARA-PADA

 

CHamoru activism in the 1970s. In the 1970s, several CHamoru activist groups organized to resist both local injustices and United States colonialism on Guam in general. PARA-PADA was formed from two activist groups that merged together and operated outside the traditional political leadership circles on Guam.

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