The Chamorro Language

The Chamorro Language

Since I was younger my father always told me “Take pride of where you’re from son.” Being young at the time, and not knowing any better I always thought my father said that because that’s what his father told him and his father before that. Now, when I sit and think about it; it’s an honor to come from the beautiful island of Guam. There is a definite camaraderie seen within Islanders. The delight felt when welcomed because your family name, never fails to reveal a distinct security that maintains character within my culture. I take pride in my culture and in my language, and so should others from the islands. I am now able to fully grasp the concept of my father’s words as I give my own daughters the same advice. My only hope is that they continue to uphold the face of the Islands.

English is the primary dialect that will hear in Guam, which is frowned upon by our elders since our ancient ancestors never used English to speak with each other. They spoke the Malayo-Polynesian (Austronesian) Spanish influenced language Chamorro language to communicate with one another. If you were to travel to Guam, Saipan, Tinian, or Rota it’d be hard to ignore our sharp Islander lingo.

The Chamorro language is misunderstood more and more with each new generation of islanders, as the requirement to become fluent becomes more and more lenient. As time passes and Guam continues to become more westernized it also becomes more difficult for our elders to enlighten the adolescents with the ropes of our extravagant traditions. It shows a negative reflection of the ascendants, but it really began when the island was recaptured from the United States Marine Corps. Unfortunately, Guam falls through the cracks when we learn about Pearl Harbor. On Dec 8th of 1941, the Japanese invaded the Marinas until The Second Battle of Guam in 1944. Within those three years, Guamanian people had to learn how to read and write in Japanese. After the U.S. regained the islands...