Women today continue to maintain positions of authority in Chamorro/CHamoru society, both at home, in Chamorro families, and in professional careers whether they are Chamorro or of other ethnic backgrounds.
Protectors and providers Mens’ role in societies have always been that of protector and provider. In the Mariana Islands, a change in the level of male authority was manifested with
Nina (patlina) and Ninu (patlino) , meaning godmother and godfather in the Mariana Islands, respectively, are borrowed terms from the Spanish padrina and padrino. These terms are derived from Spanish Catholicism and describe the relationship between the godparents and their godchild.
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 from the Spanish term compadre adapted and appropriated into CHamoru cultural tradition.
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 cultural tradition. Måle’ is the shortened form of kumaire and is commonly used when a mother and her child’s godmother refer to one another, and is also used by the child’s father when addressing his child’s godmother.
