Reshaping Cultural Landscape

The emergence of COVID19 has ushered in an era of unprecedented global change. This global pandemic has brought with it new laws on quarantine and social distancing that threaten the cultural landscape of the island – no more man nginge' or wakes for now as we practice social distancing! Although these new changes come as a shock, Guam and its people have experienced their fair share of change throughout history.

Spanish reduccion

In 1668, the first official mission to colonize the island of Guam was established. The Spanish missionaries put an end to long standing traditions such as the Guma Uritao, a center where young men learned traditional skills and customs such as seafaring, chanting, and storytelling. Despite this change, the CHamoru people were able to maintain some cultural practices through small rebellions. One such example is the continued use of the language. Rather than completely transitioning to the new Spanish language, CHamorus adopted many Spanish words while still maintaining their indigenous language structure. This language structure is still in use today.