Ancient Guam Era
Emmok: Revenge
The CHamoru expression inafa’ maolek (making it good for each other) expresses a core CHamoru value. A life of harmony is taken to be the
Ancient Guam Era
Taotaomo’na
Taotaomo’na, the people of before, refers to ancestral spirits that inhabited the earth along with the living. Ancient Chamorros/CHamorus believed the world around them was
Ancient Guam Era
Inafa’maolek: Striving for Harmony
Interpretive essay: Striving for harmony is the foundation to CHamoru culture. The phrase inafa’ maolek (pronounced e-na-fah mao-lek) describes the CHamoru concept of restoring harmony
Chamorro Culture
Nina/Ninu
Nina (patlina) and Ninu (patlino) , meaning godmother and godfather in the Mariana Islands, respectively, are borrowed terms from the Spanish padrina and padrino. These
Chamorro Culture
Kumpaire/Pari’
Kumpaire or pari’ is a religious and social term used to describe the relationship between parents and their child’s godfather. The word kumparie was borrowed
Chamorro Culture
Kumaire/Måle’
Kumaire, is religious and social term to describe the relationship between parents and their child’s godmother, borrowed from the Spanish comadre and appropriated into CHamoru
Ancient Guam Era
Ma Uritao
Ma uritao, an ancient CHamoru term used before Christianity was introduced to the CHamoru people, describes young unmarried women who resided at the Guma’ uritao
Ancient Guam Era
Uritao: Bachelor
When Chamorro/CHamoru males reached puberty during ancient times, they were sent to live at the Guma’ Uritao, a house for bachelors. The bachelors would live
Ancient Guam Era
Guma’ Uritao
I mangguma’ uritao, men’s houses, were houses for young CHamoru men in the Mariana Islands from ancient times until the late 1600s (‘I’ means ‘the’;
Chamorro Culture
Folktale: Sirena
The mythological maiden, Sirena, in the ‘I Tetehnan’ manuscript is considered a proverb, and not a legend.