The Chamorro people are the native people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. They have a unique culture and language that is greatly influenced by the Spanish, Japanese, and German cultures. Aspects of these cultures and languages have found their way into the everyday language and culture of the Chamorro people.

The first people reached the Mariana Islands about 3,500 years ago. The ancient Chamorros are believed to have originated from or migrated through Southeast Asia. The Chamorro language is believed to have been an Austronesian language. The ancient Chamorros were pagans, wore little or no clothing, and had a matrilineal kinship. This would later change with the arrival of foreigners (Farrell, 1991, p. 57-111).

Ferdinand Magellan was among the first to visit the Mariana Islands in 1521. It would not be until about a century and a half later that the first Spanish colony would be established. On June 15, 1668, Padre Diego Luis de Sanvitores led the way and established the first Spanish colony. His intentions were to convert the Chamorros to Christianity. The Spanish colonial life greatly influenced the Chamorro way of life with the introduction of domesticated animals, smoking tobacco, the Spanish language, and Christianity and other foreign influences. Padre Sanvitores also established a boy's school that taught primarily the Spanish language and the Catholic religion. The Spanish administration lasted from 1668 until 1898 when the Spanish-American War brought the administration to an end. Over a period of time, the Chamorros incorporated many of these new beliefs and practices with their own culture (p. 150 -155).

On June 30, 1899, Germany bought the Marianas from Spain. Germany planned on cultivating the land for copra. They also emphasized public works projects, homestead projects, public education and health care. George Fritz of Germany was the District Officer for the German Administration. He had many goals for the Marianas and the Chamorros as well, Such as teaching punctuality to the people. The German administration lasted until 1914. The first World War brought it to an end (p. 287).

The Japanese declared war on the Germans in August of 1914 and occupied the islands later the same year. Japan began cultivating sugarcane. They built a railroad transportation system, and with its success, increased population and developed other businesses. The Chamorros were educated in schools that taught Japanese language and culture as well. The Japanese, though, respected property, religion, and the local customs of the Chamorros. The end of the Japanese administration had the greatest effect on the Chamorros. One of the bloodiest and grueling battles of World War II was fought on Saipan. After the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered, and the United States helped the islands recover (p. 295,409). After World War 11, the Marianas islands joined the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. In 1978, the Marianas broke from the trusteeship and established themselves a commonwealth, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (p. 622).

From the first administration to the last, the Chamorro people were introduced to many new and foreign practices and beliefs that have greatly influenced the Chamorro culture and language. The Chamorro language borrows many words from the Spanish and Japanese language. During these administrations, many foreigners married Chamorro women. Their children would grow up listening to both languages and learning both cultures. As a result, a majority of the Chamorro people today have either Spanish or Japanese last names and the spoken language has incorporated words from other languages with the Chamorro language. Many other practices have also been incorporated with the Chamorro culture.

A study of about a dozen Chamorro cousins residing in the Prince Lunalilo apartment complex in the Makiki area illustrate some of these influences. On the fifth floor lives my cousin John San Nicolas, and his family. Directly below them is my first cousin Lisa Sablan, and two of her roommates. Next door to Lisa is our second cousin May Mafnas and her brother, whom we nicknamed "Kqack."

The Chamorro language is a mix of Chamorro, Spanish, Japanese, and English. Sentences will either start in Chamorro and end in English, or be said in Chamorro throughout, but include English words. For example, when I was in May's apartment one day, my roommate Shawn walked in and asked, "May, sina yu hu type papethu gi yomu computer?" This translates to "May, can I type my paper on your computer?" The "y" in Chamorro is pretty difficult to pronounce. To pronounce "tze," you must cut your breath before pronouncing the letter, and then breathe out as you say the next letter. The sentence Shawn said was in Chamorro, but included the English words "type" and "computer." This is because the Chamorro vocabulary is limited.

Much of the vocabulary comes from the Spanish language. Words like, "canta," "baila," and "busca" all come from the Spanish words, "cantar," "ballar," and "buscar," which mean "to sing," "to dance," and "to look for." The calendar system also comes from the Spanish. Words for the days of the week and the months are from the Spanish language, although the words are not spelled the same or pronounced exactly alike. When I was asked when my birthday was, I replied, "Cinco de Mayo." This means the fifth of May in both the Chamorro and Spanish languages. The Chamorro number system also comes from the Spanish number system. On many occasions I was asked, "Prim, kiora esta gennao?" This is a quicker way of saying "Pri'mo, que hora esta?" which means "Cousin, what time is it?" The word "kiora" is like saying "que hora" very fast. The word "primo" is cut short to "prim." It is important to keep in mind though, that the ancient Chamorros had their own number system and calendar, as well as a unique language which is still sometimes used by the elders.

Many Chamorro families have Spanish last names. Some of the last names that I took note of were, San Nicolas, De Leon Guerrero, Santos, Reyes, Camacho, Sanchez, and Dela Cruz. San Nicolas is both Spanish and Chamorro for Saint Nicholas. The name De Leon Guerrero means "lion warrior" in Spanish. Santos also means "Saints" in both languages. Dela Cruz is "of the cross" in Spanish, but Chamorros do not use this word. The word for cross in Chamorro is "kilu'us." The largest families in Saipan are the Guerreros, Camachos, and Sablan. All three of these names come from the time when Spaniards married Chamorros. There are also a couple with Japanese last names like Tomokane and Takai.

Titles used to address family members were also borrowed from the Spanish. We say "tio" and "tia" for "uncle" and "aunt." Cousins are called "primo" or "prima." Our godparents are our "nino" and "nina." But for one's immediate family, Chamorro words are used. We say "nana" and "tata" for mom and dad. "Chet'lu" is the Chamorro word for brother or sister. There are other words for family members, but many are used in certain contexts, such as when speaking to elders.

Aside from the Spanish, there were also many words that came from the Japanese language. When we walk out the door of any apartment, our slippers would all be scattered on the floor. Someone would then yell out, "Mungi i zore-hu?" This means, Where are my slippers? We use the Japanese word "zori" for slippers. Most of the Japanese influence is in the foods that we eat, like sashimi, sukiyaki, tempura, miso soup, sushi, fish and rice, which are common in the Chamorro diet. Unlike in Hawai'i where noodles are usually called "saimin," we say "soba." We like to eat our soba with "shonga," the Japanese red ginger. Both of these words are Japanese, but are a part of the Chamorro language as they are a part of the Japanese.

While it may seem that the Spanish influence is greater than that of the Japanese, actually, we are more Japanese than Spanish by a great margin. I know that my grandparents from both sides all speak Japanese as fluently as they do Chamorro. With this in mind, I asked everyone in the Prince Lunalilo if their parents also spoke Japanese. To my amazement, they all said yes. There is a perfect explanation for all this. All of our grandparents grew up during the Japanese administration. Back then, they went to school and there they learned the Japanese language and culture.

I have mentioned how the Spanish and Japanese have greatly influenced the Chamorro culture and language. The German influence, on the other hand, is not as obvious, but is just as influential as the other two. In October, my classmate from high school was passing through here for a couple of days, so I invited him over to stay at my place. His name is Juan Diego, but we call him J.D. for short. One night, we were at Lisa's place hanging out. Most of the people there already knew him from Saipan. When his cousin Christine walked through the door, she saw him and yelled, "Morgen! " The word was pronounced with a Chamorro, accent and sounded more like, "Morgen! " A friend of mine from Hawai'i asked why J.D.'s cousin as well as others were calling him "Morgen." J.D. said that it all went back to his father's time. When his father was young, he would always wake up earlier than the rest and get started on his chores. His grandfather would see him up early in the morning and say, "Guten Morgen." This is German for "Good morning." The name stuck. From then on, J.D.'s father was known as Juan "Morgen."

This is an example of what Chamorros call "family names." Family names are usually titles given to the head of the family for something that they are known for, or do. Both my roommates, including myself, have family names. For example, Benedict's family name is "Batitang." His grandfather was known for catching this type of fish and selling them. The name soon became part of the family. My family name is "Pale," which is Spanish for "Priest." My grandfather from my dad's side was studying to be a priest. At his school, he met my grandmother, who was studying to be a nun. They fell in love and took on different careers. My grandfather for a time would be teased "Pale," a name that would distinguish his family. Family names are an important part of the Chamorro culture. Because families can be so big, these names help distinguish families from other families of the same last name.

During the German administration, the building for the District Officer had a huge clock outside on the face of the dome. The Germans wanted to teach the Chamorros the importance of punctuality For a time, the Chamorros themselves were either punctual, or were offended if others weren't. This concept has slowly changed over time. Now, it is treated as a mockery. Being late by an hour or two is known as "Chamorro Time." This happens all the time and is pretty funny because when someone shows up late to a party or has yet to arrive, we simply say, "They're still on Chamorro time."

In the Chamorro culture, people identify themselves with their families, which includes lineages from both the mother and the father, and even extended families. Lisa Sablan and I are first cousins. Our mothers are sisters. Our mothers and May's mother are also first cousins, which makes us second cousins. John and I are distant cousins through his mother and my father. In the Chamorro culture, families are very important to each other. They watch over each other and help one another out when in time of need. One example comes from a phone conversation. Lisa was on the phone with her mother. After a while, she told me that her mother wanted to speak to me. After about ten minutes of conversation her mother closed by saying, "Atan hijo ennao i chetlumu ah." This translates to " Son, watch over your sister okay?" Now, although I'm not Lisa's brother or her mother's son, this is how we are referred to and treated. This is common in the Chamorro culture. The word, " hijo," is of Spanish origin. It means "son." In the Chamorro language, there are other words that also mean "son." "Hijo" is usually used by the elders, though.

For many Chamorros, tracing our lineage and finding out how we are related is second nature. I observed Lisa and May talking about some of their relatives back in Saipan. I noticed they were saying things like, "His mom and my mom are second cousins, so we're third cousins." I remember one particular line, "Your grandfather and my great-grandfather are brothers." By hearing this, you could see how far back some Chamorros can go to determine who their relatives are.

Chamorros also situate themselves according, to a pattern. In Saipan, families own their own land. Families build houses next to each other. Back home, I live with my family on a lot my mother has inherited. Our next door neighbors are my mom's sisters and their families. My grandparents live at the entrance to the land. This pattern is mimicked here in Hawai'i. The Chamorros situate themselves close to each other. There is also a sense of security when you have family members around. Though not everyone is related to each other, they think of themselves as family.

Another aspect of the Chamorro culture is the way one respects the elders. One day, Lisa's uncle and aunt flew In from Saipan. They visited for a couple of hours before leaving for the mainland. We had dinner at a restaurant and then dropped them off at the airport. On the way back, I asked Lisa how she was related to them. She told me that they weren't really her relatives, but that her family grew up with their family while in Oregon. She referred to them as aunty and uncle for respect. I remember as a little kid, my parents taught me to call every elder I saw, aunty or uncle, even though we weren't really related.

Chamorros use the titles, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law to include cousins, or close relatives of the couple. I have two roommates, Shawn De Leon Guerrero and Benedict Lizama. Shawn is Lisa's and my first cousin. Benedict has a brother in Saipan who is engaged to our first cousin. Because of this, Shawn, Lisa, and I can all call Benedict our brother-in-law. The Chamorro word for this title is "icunadu" or "kinadu." We use a shortened title, "niao." In the Chamorro culture, your "niao" is anyone dating or married to any of your cousins, distant or close, or to any of your brothers or sisters. The reason for this is that we consider our cousins our brothers and sisters. Therefore, we can call their husbands or wives our "niao." I can refer to Benedict as my "niao" because his brother is engaged to my first cousin. just this past November, my cousin and Benedict's brother were married. The reception included more than seven hundred people, friends and family, The reception is called a "fiesta," or "fandango." Again, the words "fiesta" and "fandango" have Spanish origin.

Speaking of parties, there was always something going on every weekend at the Prince Lunalilo. The Chamorros look for a reason to party. My cousin John always joked by saying, "Brat, my birthday is this weekend, and also next month." The frequent get togethers is a Chamorro lifestyle. In Saipan, fiestas are celebrated almost every weekend. Every weekend, there will be someone who is getting baptized, receiving their first Holy Communion, having a first birthday party, a farewell party, or celebrating their anniversary - the list goes on. Most fiestas are for religious matters. This goes back to the Spanish influence.

This past Thanksgiving, we had a huge party at the recreational room of one of apartment complexes. We prepared for the party just the way our parents would for a fiesta back home, There were over thirty people at this party, all from Saipan. The people at the Prince Lunalilo prepared the big meals like the turkey, the sukiyaki, the red rice, and the salads. Those who lived elsewhere brought the already prepared food to the party. During the preparation, all the women were in Lisa's kitchen preparing the rice, and salads and so on. The men were downstairs getting the barbeque ready. Everyone was saying that this was just like home. This is a common division of labor among the Chamorros when preparing for a fiesta. The men kill the pigs and the cows, clean them, and cut them up for the women to cook. They then do the barbeque while the women cook in huge outside kitchens, which every Chamorro household has. It is during these preparations that everybody catches up with what the others have been tip to.

The most noticeable aspect of the Chamorro Culture is the hospitality and generosity the Chamorros have toward others. The first thing that I was asked everytime I walked into someone's apartment was, "Brat, chow!" This is Chamorro slang for "Come and eat!" The Chamorros are always inviting everybody that they know. Whenever I brought someone over, everyone was always making sure that the person was comfortable. They were always offering something to drink or eat. This is an important part of our culture. In Saipan, we are always visited by our relatives. They come in and eat, and talk for a while. We treat our visitors the way we treat our relatives. I get a great feeling when I introduce someone who is not Chamorro or has never heard of Chamorros to my friends and cousins from Saipan. They all compliment us on how we are as a people.

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