Chamorro people
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The Chamorro people (/tʃɑːˈmɔːroʊ, tʃə-/;[5][6] also CHamoru[1]) are the Indigenous people of the Mariana Islands, politically divided between the United States territory of Guam and the encompassing Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Micronesia, a commonwealth of the US. Today, significant Chamorro populations also exist in several U.S. states, including Hawaii, California, Washington, Texas, Tennessee, Oregon, and Nevada, all of which together are designated as Pacific Islander Americans according to the U.S. Census. According to the 2000 Census, about 64,590 people of Chamorro ancestry live in Guam and another 19,000 live in the Northern Marianas.[7]
Etymology
Precolonial society in the Marianas was based on a caste system, Chamori being the name of the ruling, highest caste.[8]
After Spain annexed and colonized the Marianas, the caste system eventually became extinct under Spanish rule, and all of the indigenous residents of the archipelago eventually came to be referred to by the Spanish
Some people theorize that Spanish definitions of the word Chamorro played a role in its being used to refer to the island's indigenous inhabitants. Not only is "Chamorro" a Spanish surname; in Spanish it also means "leg of pork", "beardless [wheat]", "bald", "close-cropped", or "shorn/shaven/[hair or wool] cut close to the surface".[9][10][11] Around 1670, a Catholic missionary reported that men were sporting a style in which their heads were shaven, save for a "finger-length" amount of hair at the crown. This hairstyle has often been portrayed in modern-day depictions of early Chamorros, but the first European descriptions of the physical appearance of the Chamorro people in the 1520s and '30s report that both sexes had long black hair, which they wore down to their waists or even further. Another description, given about 50 years later, reported that the natives at that time were tying up their hair into one or two topknots.[12]
Chamorro institutions on Guam advocate for the spelling CHamoru, as reflected in the 2017 Guam Public Law 33-236.[13] In 2018, the Commission on the CHamoru Language and the Teaching of the History and Culture of the Indigenous People of Guam announced CHamoru as the preferred standardized spelling of the language and people, as opposed to the conventional spelling Chamorro.[14]
Language
The Chamorro language is included in the Malayo-Polynesian subgroup of the Austronesian family. Because Guam was colonized by Spain for over 300 years, Chamorro has acquired many loanwords from Spanish. An example is how the traditional Chamorro number system was replaced by Spanish numbers.[15]
Chamorro is often spoken in many homes, but this is becoming less common. However, a resurgence of interest in reviving the language has occurred, and all public schools on both Guam and the Northern Marianas are now required by law to teach the Chamorro language as part of the elementary-, middle-, and high-school curriculum.[16][17]
A commonly spoken phrase in Chamorro is håfa adai, a greeting which approximates "hello" in English.[18]
History
Early Chamorros
The Chamorros are commonly believed to have arrived in the Marianas Islands from the
Chamorro society was based on what sociologist Lawrence J. Cunningham termed the "
Agriculture
Spanish colonial records show that Chamorro farmers planted seeds according to the phases of the moon. For example, farmers on Guam often plant tuber crops such as sweet potato and yams at full moon during low tide.[23]
Culture
Cosmogony and religion
According to early Chamorro legend, the world was created by a twin brother and sister, Puntan and Fu'uña.
Ancient Chamorros engaged in
Enraged that Father Diego Luis de San Vitores had baptized his child, a Chamorro man and his friend killed the priest and Filipino catechist Pedro Calungsod in April 1672, dumping their bodies in the ocean. [26]
Castes and classes
Chamorro society was divided into two main castes, and continued to be so for well over a century after the Spanish first arrived. According to historical records provided by Europeans, such as Father Charles Le Gobien, apparent racial differences existed between the subservient Manachang caste, and the higher Chamor[r]i, the Manachang being described as shorter, darker-skinned, and physically less hardy than the Chamori. The Chamori caste was further subdivided into the upper-middle class Achoti/Acha'ot and the highest, the ruling Matua/Matao class. Achoti could gain status as Matua, and Matua could be reduced to Achoti, but Manachang were born and died as such and had no recourse to improve their station. Members of the Manachang and the Chamori were not permitted to intermingle. All three classes performed physical labor, but had specifically different duties.[8][27] Le Gobien theorized that Chamorro society comprised the geographical convergence of peoples of different ethnic origins. This idea may be supportable by the evidence of linguistic characteristics of the Chamorro language and social customs.
Clothing and beauty practices
Prior to Spanish contact, Chamorro boys and men wore no clothing and went about fully nude at all times. Chamorro girls went nude until around the age of eight to ten, at which point they began to wear a small genital covering made either of bark, one or more leaves, a piece of a turtle shell or in some cases matting. Both sexes at times wore hats of woven leaves to protect themselves from the sun.[12]
Father Pierre Coomans wrote of the practice among Chamorro women of teeth blackening/dental lacquering (also a widespread custom in ancient
Folklore
The Chamorro creation story revolves around two celestial siblings named Puntan and Fu'una. In time, this creation story underwent a series of modifications due to the complications in passing the story along from generation to generation. In this Chamorro creation story, Puntan and Fu'una create the world with their body parts and souls. Puntan's various body parts were turned into the land, his chest into the sky, his eyebrows into rainbows, and his eyes into the sun and moon. Fu’una having the ability to give life, brought the sun, soil, and waters to life, and with a final transformation, she turned into stone and gave birth to the Chamorro people. Evidence supporting this creation story can be seen through the names of the villages on Guam as they are named after body parts. Barrigada translates to flank, Tiyan translates to stomach, Hagatna translates to blood and Mongmong translates to a heartbeat.[29]
Traditional beliefs among the Chamorros include tales of
Spanish rule
On March 6, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan and his men, after having crossed the Pacific Ocean, had encountered the first "Indios" since leaving South America.[32] Later Spanish visitors named the inhabitants "Chamurres", derived from a local term for the upper caste; this was then converted to "Chamorros", an old Spanish term for "bald", perhaps in reference to the local habit to shave.[32]
Over the centuries, the Mariana Islands have been occupied by several foreign countries (Spain, Germany, Japan, United States), and present-day Chamorro society is almost entirely multiethnic, with the inhabitants of Luta/Rota being the least so. The Chamorros are primarily of Austronesian ancestry, but began to significantly interact with Spanish and Filipinos during the Spanish colonial era (1521–1898 AD). Primarily since the late 19th century onward, many Chamorros have intermarried with other Pacific Islanders, mainland Americans, Filipinos, Chinese, and Japanese.
During the Spanish colonial era, the Chamorro population was greatly reduced by the introduction of European diseases and changes in society during the
During the Spanish–American War, the United States captured Guam on June 21, 1898. Under the Treaty of Paris, signed on December 10, 1898, Spain ceded Guam to the United States effective April 11, 1899. Guam is among the 17 nonself-governing territories listed by the United Nations.
World War II
Before World War II, five American jurisdictions were in the Pacific Ocean: Guam and Wake Island in Micronesia, American Samoa and Hawaii in Polynesia, and the Philippines in Southeast Asia. On December 8, 1941, hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces from the Marianas launched an invasion of Guam. Chamorros from the Northern Marianas, who had been under Japanese rule for more than 20 years, were brought to Guam to assist the Japanese administration. This, combined with the harsh treatment of Chamorros during the two-and-a-half-year occupation, created a rift that would become the main reason Chamorros rejected the referendum on reunification approved by the Northern Marianas in the 1960s. During the occupation, Chamorros were subjected to forced labor, incarceration, torture, and execution. American forces recaptured the island on July 21, 1944; Liberation Day commemorates the victory.
After World War II, the
The increasing numbers of Chamorros, especially Chamorro youth, relocating to the U.S. mainland, has complicated both the definition and preservation of Chamorro identity. On Guam, a Chamorro rights movement has developed since the United States gained control of the island. Leaders of the movement seek to return ancestral lands to the Chamorro people, and attain self-determination.
Modern Chamorro culture
Chamorro culture has over the years acquired noticeable influences from Spanish, Mexican, American, Japanese, and Filipino cultures, as well as the presence of fellow Oceanic (mostly Micronesian) groups. Influence from the German era in the Northern Marianas is most visible in the form of certain given names and family surnames.
The prehistoric concept of inafa'maolek ("doing good for each other", often translated as interdependence) is a core value of traditional Chamorro culture. Respect for one's family, community, and the elderly (man åmko') are major components, although this varies from person to person and family to family. The culture is now strongly influenced by American customs and values, largely because the Marianas archipelago (
Chamorro life has long centered on one's matriarchal clan. The concept of a "clan" stemming from a common female ancestor is still observed. Large extended families remain central to life in the Marianas.
Diabetes and heart disease have become increasingly common among the indigenous population, as well as among nonindigenous Oceanic people living in the Marianas, particularly the Carolinian
Traditional healers called suruhånu (or suruhåna for women) are still greatly respected for their knowledge of herbal treatments and spirits.
Religion
Most Chamorros are
Among the 56 states and territories of the United States, the Mariana Islands have the highest rate of religious self-identification, with a combined percentage of only 1.75% of the population (Guam at 2.5% and the CNMI at just 1%)
Cuisine
Chamorro cuisine is influenced by various cultures. Examples of popular foods of foreign origin include various types of sweet or savory empanada, originally introduced by Spain, and pancit, a noodle dish from the Philippines. The Spanish settlement in the 17th century also introduced cattle, leading to dishes like tinala' katne.[36]
Archeological evidence from islands in the Marianas reveals that rice was cultivated there since prehistory.
Locally distinct foods include
Spam and other canned meats were introduced to the islands after World War II, leading to a dietary shift.[39]
Diaspora in the United States
According to the 2010 census, 148,220 Chamorros are living in the United States, mostly from Guam, but also from the Northern Marianas and Saipan.[40]
The early Chamorros who migrated to the US were Guamanians who moved in the first decade of the 20th century. In the following decades, small groups of Guamanians emigrated to Hawaii and the Western United States, where they worked as farmers.[41] The population of Guam got the American citizenship in 1929.[42] So, after the end of World War II, many more Guamanians emigrated to the US. Most of them were in the military or married with military people.[41]
In 1950, the population of Guam gained the full American citizenship,[43] which favoured Guamanian migration to the US. So, the first major Guamanian migration emerged and more of 160 Guamanians emigrated to the US in the '50s. Many of them moved to California.[44] In 1952, Guamanian immigrants founded their first organization in US, the Guam Territorial Society (later renamed as the Guam Society of America), in Washington, D.C., where many worked for the Department of Defense and developing military operations.
In the 1960s, hundreds of Guamanians migrated to the United States, when the largest numbers emigrated to this country. Most of them were fleeing the Korean War and Typhoon Karen.[45]
In the '70s, another wave of Guamanians arrived in the US. In 1986, the US acquired the
As of 2020, Pierce County, Washington, has the largest Chamorro population with 4,931 persons or 0.62% of the total population.[47]
Notable CHamorros
- Pia Mia Perez(born 1996), singer/songwriter
- Angel Santos (born 1959), CHamorro Rights Advocate & former Guam Senator
- Jesus "CHamorro" Chafauros, DJ of Programma CHamorro, CHamorro music record producer.
- Theresa H. Arriola, a cultural anthropologist from the Northern Mariana Islands
- Zach Banner (born 1993), American NFL football offensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Manny Crisostomo (born 1958), CHamorro Pulitzer Prize winner
- Joe Duarte (born 1983), mixed martial artist
- Peter Gumataotao, first CHamorro two-star flag officer in the United States military
- Siobhon McManus, teacher & activist
- Walt Nauta, aide to former US president Donald Trump
- Susan Pangelinan, CHamorro-American member of the United States Air Force
- Frank Camacho, martial artist
- Maria Anderson Roberto (born 1880), chaperone for the Navy's Native Nurses program
- Jon Tuck, martial artist
- Ronald J Schuler, ERM Insurance Chief Actuary of the year for Americas
- Joe Gumataotao, husband to Rosa Gumataotao Rios, former Treasurer of the United States.
See also
- History of Guam
- History of Oceania
- History of the Pacific Islands
- Guamanian citizenship and nationality
- Native Hawaiians
References
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- ^ "The Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Population: 2010" (PDF). census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- US Census Bureau. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
- US Census Bureau. Archived from the originalon 14 February 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ "Chamorro definition and meaning – Collins English Dictionary". www.collinsdictionary.com. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
- ^ "Chamorro". dictionary.com. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
- ^ The Puerto Rico and Insular Areas (Archived copy) www.census.gov
- ^ a b Lujan Bevacqua, Michael. "Ancient Chamorro castes". Mampolitiku: Politics. Guampedia. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ "Spanish-English Dictionary: "Chamorro"". SpanishDict.com.
- ^ "Spanish to English translation: "Chamorro"". Yahoo! Education. Archived from the original on 29 March 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ ""Chamorro" definition". Babylon. Archived from the original on 2014-03-29. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ a b Flores, Judy. "Hairstyles and teeth staining". Ancient Chamorro Concepts of Beauty. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ "Public Laws – 33rd". Guam Legislature Archives. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ Daily Post Staff (30 November 2018). "Commission: CHamoru, not Chamorro; Guam's female governor is maga'håga". The Guam Daily Post. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ Rafael Rodríguez-Ponga. Del español al chamorro: Lenguas en contacto en el Pacífico. Madrid, 2009, Ediciones Gondo, www.edicionesgondo.com
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- ^ "Youth Congress passes three bills, adopts one resolution". Saipan Tribune. 6 July 2021.
- ^ "Chamorro Greetings | Chamorro Culture in Guam". www.visitguam.com.
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- ^ Erediano, Emmanuel T. (2022-06-01). "Ancient Chamorros may have come from Indonesia, researchers say". Marianas Variety News & Views. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
- ^ Pereda, Nathalie. "Distribution of authority". Che’lu/Mañe’lu: Siblings. Guampedia. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
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- ^ Hattori, Anne Perez (September 23, 2016). "Folktale: Puntan and Fu'una: Gods of Creation". Guampedia. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
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- ^ Tolentino, Dominica. "Higher social class". Matao and Acha’ot. Guampedia. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ Wernhart, Karl. "FERNBERGER'S ACCOUNT OF THE MARIANAS". A Pre-Missionary Manuscript Record of the Chamorro, Micronesia. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
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- ^ Guampdn.com, Ghost stories: Taotaomona and other spirits inhabit Guam [dead link]
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- ^ "Total Military Recruits: Army, Navy, Air Force (per capita) (most recent) by state". StateMaster.com. 2010. Archived from the original on 2020-02-12. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
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- ^ "Northern Mariana Islands Travel – Guides & Reviews – Travel Library". Travel-library.com. Archived from the original on 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
- ^ "Tinala' Katne: Dried Beef". Guampedia – The Online Resource About Guam. 2010-06-28. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
- ^ Tolentino, Dominica. "Ancient Chamorro Use of Rice". Guampedia. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
- ^ Brooke, Anne. "Fanihi: Mariana Fruit Bat". Guampedia. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ Bevacqua, Michael Lujan web (2015). "REVIEW ESSAY: The Song Maps of Craig Santos Perez". Transmotion. 1 (1). Archived from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
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External links
- Chamorro census information from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community
- MyChamorroHeritage.com Another resource for Chamorros and those interested in the Chamorro people and culture. Useful for Chamorros interested in genealogy.