Mother of the Chamorro people. Fo’na is the female protagonist of the Chamorro/CHamoru creation myth. In the story, Fo’na (also spelled Fu’una) along with her brother Puntan (also spelled Pontan) devise a plan to use their bodies and spirit to create and bring life to earth and mankind.
Of the different regional groups of the Pacific, the physical anthropology of the peoples of Micronesia is probably the least studied. While archeologists have collected human skeletal remains from Micronesia for examination since the beginning of the 20th century, much of the current understanding of the physical anthropology of the region was developed in the 1980s and 1990s.
Physical Anthropology of Ancient Guam and the Mariana Islands Read Post »
CHamoru women have a legacy of leadership that helped keep the culture and history of their people alive. The earliest accounts of ancient CHamoru society state that women maintained their family’s wealth, had final say in the governance of both their home and village and were the primary caretakers of their children and land.
CHamoru Women’s Legacy of Leadership Read Post »
The legend of Puntan Påtgon (Child’s Point) is a folktale about a powerful man who becomes envious of his child’s superior strength:
Folktale: Puntan Påtgon Read Post »
The word “låncho” comes from the word Spanish word “rancheria” and refers to Chamorro farms, ranches, gardens, or family property in the hålomtåno’ (jungle), and even properties along beaches. They can be small or large, and can be active farming ventures with crops and livestock, or can be overgrown jungle in which families harvest wild tinanom, fruta yan gollai siha (plants/crops, fruits and vegetables).
Maga’låhi Yula (also spelled Hula or Yura) was a chief from the village of Apotguan in Hagåtña, who is best known for sparking a Chamorro/CHamoru uprising in the summer of 1684.
Maga’låhi Tolahi (also spelled Tetlaje or Torahi) was a chief from Tachuc (immediately south of Malesso), who fearlessly led the southern villages in resistance to Spanish rule. Tolahi believed that Chamorros/CHamorus were entitled to live freely as they had for millennia before the Spanish arrived.
Che’lu is a Chamorro term for a sibling; brother or sister. Mañe’lu is the plural form of che’lu, referring to more than one sibling.
Che’lu/Mañe’lu: Siblings Read Post »
Not all CHamorus fought valiantly against Spanish occupation. There were some who chose to side with the Spanish for a variety of reasons.
Kepuha (also spelled Quipuha) was a maga’låhi from Hagåtña, whose role in welcoming Spanish missionaries to Guam makes him a controversial figure in the island’s history. Kepuha was the first CHamoru to be baptized after he gave Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores the authority and land to start a Catholic mission in Hagåtña.
