In a recent conversation with friends and family, we discussed taotaomo'na, a concept deeply rooted in Guam’s CHamoru culture. It began with a lighthearted comment about my running speed, which I've always attributed to dashing through the jungle from Agana Heights church to my home as a child, driven by fear of the dark and the Taotaomo'na. It did not help that the White Lady’s Bridge was nearby.
My friend and I delved into the meaning of taotaomo'na, agreeing it represents our ancestors, the spirits of the island's past inhabitants, commanding deep respect and, in my case, instilling fear. The literal translation, "the people in front of us," sparked an interesting debate. If Taotaomo'na represents the spirits of the people from the past, why aren't they called Taotaotåtte?
Consulting the Chamorro-English dictionary, we found "taotao" means "human being, person, people," while "mo'na" means "front, be first, in front of, forward,” or “before." This shed light on the term's deeper meaning. It's not just about the past, but about those who came before us, possibly including our parents and grandparents. But really, what period does “front” refer to? When does the correlation of the spirit start and stop? Maybe it doesn’t.
People of many cultures revere their ancestors, and those of us from the Marianas Islands are no exception. Could the taotaomo'na represent generations passing the baton of culture, beliefs, and practices to maintain our identity? Was my childhood fear actually a fear of the responsibility to carry on these traditions?
Our culture embodies positive values: caring for one another, selflessness, respect for elders, community support, and also importantly, respect for the land. This spirit of "It takes a village to raise a man" is still alive in Guam and Micronesia today.
The respect for taotaomo'na extends to all who call Guam and the Marianas home, teaching us to ask permission and show respect when entering their realm, their land. After all, they are the guardians of our land.
Whether it is the trek to the jungle to harvest lumot or to take in the beauty of Sella Bay, we have been taught not to anger the Taotaomo'na by desecrating the land. As caring people, we know better than to discard empty beverage containers along a trail or abandon bulk waste in an empty lot. Our deep-rooted respect for the Taotaomo'na should not be treated like a relic of the past, but a living tradition that continues to shape our present and future.
Para todu i Taotaomo'na ni gaige guini pa'go na tiempo, sigi ha mo'na gi kareran-miyu pot i kutturan-mame (To all the Taotaomo'na in our midst today, continue forward in your journey carrying on our culture). In honoring this, we hope to make ourselves, our islands, and the taotaomo'na proud.
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