Creative Expressions

Arts like song, dance, pottery, body ornamentation and other forms of Creative Expression have always been a way for CHamoru/Chamorro cultural heritage to be expressed, celebrated, and perpetuated. Across the Pacific, a diversity of art forms speak to the beauty of Indigenous cultures and connections to the lands and oceans which shape us, and are also evidence of exchanges with other native Pacific Islanders. Traditional CHamoru/Chamorro  practices, such as weaving, navigation, and jewelry carving from natural resources like clam and turtle shells require artistry, discipline, and skill to execute. These recognized art forms can teach us about how CHamorus/Chamorros  perceive the world through the use of natural resources in the environment. Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro pottery and other forms of storytelling can reveal the cultural values and knowledge of CHamoru/Chamorro ancestors. In more contemporary times, Creative Expression has been an important way for CHamorus/Chamorros  to perpetuate cultural practices — for example, CHamoru/Chamorro music has been a source of cultural activism and a way to pass down the CHamoru/Chamorro language to future generations.