In the Marianas, for example, fruit bat, or fanihi is considered a delicacy, especially when stewed in coconut milk—fur and all.
Culture not only tells us what kinds of food can be eaten, but also how they should be prepared, processed or stored. We have recipes for cooking, serving and preserving different kinds of foods. Because of the ways different cultures treat food, we often describe dishes with ethnic terms: CHamoru red rice, Japanese sushi, Chinese dim sum, Italian pasta and so on.
In addition, culture provides the context or occasions for which certain foods may be eaten—and by whom. We have traditions, rituals, taboos and other customs that we associate with blessing, sharing, distributing or restricting food. Thanksgiving turkeys, Christmas hams and colored Easter eggs, for example, are part of an American Christian cultural context in which these dishes are given socially important meanings and are served only on those special holidays.
In the Marianas, one can argue that food is central to our culture. Visitors to our homes are offered something to eat almost as soon as they walk through the door. Gifts of food are presented at our most festive occasions, like village fiestas and weddings, and at our most solemn ceremonies, such as after evening rosaries or at funerals.
In ancient times, CHamorus traded food and provisions with each other, presented food offerings to their ancestral spirits, and used food to help negotiate peace following warfare. Eventually, CHamorus traded food for valuable European commodities such as iron and cloth. Food preferences also change over time. Delicacies from the past may not seem appetizing or practical anymore.
For example, fruit bat, as mentioned above, is rarely served today, not only because of its status as an endangered species, but because our tastes have changed. Our preference for Western or Asian cuisine, and even fast food items, like hamburgers, pizza, fried chicken and doughnuts, over traditional foods of the islands, have taken over the dinner and the fiesta tables. And, for better or for worse, our increasingly modern diets have impacted our health.
As people of the islands, the CHamoru diet traditionally was rich in fruits, tubers roots and foods from the surrounding lagoons, reefs and oceans. Fishing and cultivation of food plants were carried out with simple but effective tools and methods. By looking at ancient CHamoru subsistence strategies we can get a sense of the importance of food in shaping the way people in small island communities adapt to and face the challenges of their natural environment.
Food and the preparation of food has always been an important part of the CHamoru culture. We can all fondly remember our grandparents or other family members being very concerned about making sure we were fed and ensuring any visitors to our homes were offered something to eat. We can also recall times family members would come together to prepare dishes for a party or a fiesta.
In a similar way, a look at the diet and cooking methods of our ancient CHamoru ancestors will help us gain insight on food choices and methods of food preparation that were used before Spanish colonization. However, reports from archaeological sites, anthropological observations, and journals of visitors during the Spanish era provide information that, when connected, can tell the story about diet and cooking practices.
In general, these reports describe the kinds of foods that were readily available in the Marianas, as well as plants that the first settlers or early inhabitants likely brought with them. For example, dokdok seeded breadfruit , pandanus, and fadang federico palm nuts were indigenous to the islands. Meanwhile, lemmai seedless breadfruit , bananas and sugarcane probably were introduced by the ancient CHamorus. Remains, such as fish bones and shells, indicate the kinds of sea creatures the CHamorus ate or actively sought on fishing expeditions.
Evidence from pottery, such as pottery types and food residues, reveals storage methods or cooking techniques likely used by the natives. Changes in pottery styles also give a glimpse of the changing subsistence and settlement patterns of the islanders. Skeletal remains give information about CHamoru health and nutrition. Spanish accounts describe customs related to food, including what kinds of foods were prepared or served at different occasions and the overall importance of food in CHamoru culture.
For example, CHamorus were observed serving all their food at one time, as opposed to breaking up meals into different courses. In addition, ancient CHamorus spoke very little, if at all, while eating. Some records claim CHamorus ate a lot of food and ate quickly, while other sources described CHamorus as moderate eaters.
Despite these different descriptions, historic accounts agree that the ancient CHamorus valued sharing food. According to archaeological investigations at various sites in Guam, ancient CHamorus had good diets and ate nutritional foods. The earliest European visitors to the Marianas described the CHamoru natives as robust, corpulent and strong.
CHamorus ate moderately and were, therefore, healthy, strong and lived to an old age. However, some archaeological reports also show that islanders had periods of malnutrition and poor health. Changes in bone can show when an individual or population is experiencing malnutrition, disease or other stresses. In the Marianas, most nutritional stress occurred during periods of famine when food resources were scarce due to seasonal weather patterns, or natural disasters, such as flood, drought, typhoons, tsunamis or earthquakes.
Skeletal remains of individuals who underwent such stresses would show defects or signs of improper growth—as well as signs of recovery and healing when resources were replenished or abundant. While CHamorus were not necessarily tall by modern standards, the Spanish remarked upon their height and apparent physical strength. CHamoru remains also show areas of large muscle attachments, possibly due to strenuous physical activities that were a part of daily life.
Their diets probably had much to do with the general good health of the ancient CHamorus, although they did suffer from certain endemic diseases, such as yaws a tropical skin and bone infectious disease , arthritis and anemia. Adult tooth samples of both sexes showed signs of betel nut pugua chewing.
Betel nut was introduced to the islands. It was chewed with piper leaf pupulu and slaked lime afok , a social practice that had little to do with nutrition. However, chewing betel nut seemed to help prevent dental caries cavities because of the excess saliva produced while chewing. With its mildly narcotic effect, betel nut was chewed often and generously shared with others. The CHamoru subsistence economy was based on cultivation of small clearings in the bush, as well as food collecting activities in the jungle, and fishing.
Some of these activities were scheduled for certain times throughout the year. In the ancient CHamoru calendar , the year sakkan was divided into 13 moons pulan , similar to months in a Western calendar. Each month was characterized by certain weather conditions or described ideal times for activities related to fishing or farming. The third moon, Umatalaf, was the time to catch gatafe, or red snapper.
Taro suni was a staple, cultivated for both the fiber and the edible leaves. According to a preliminary archaeological report by Takayama and Egami in , rice was cultivated in the Mariana Islands , based on archaeological studies of and conducted in Rota and Assongsong Islands.
There was evidence of rice husk imprints on three sherds pottery fragments analyzed by another archaeologist, Toshya Sato. The sherds predated the arrival of Europeans to the Mariana Islands. Rice residues have also been found on stone pestles in an isolated excavation on Rota. Rice was culturally important and served as a ritual food at different ceremonies, solemn feasts and funerals; it was also an important trade item and payment medium among villages and between islands.
Interestingly, the Marianas is the only Pacific island group where rice was cultivated, suggesting a connection between the CHamorus and cultures from Island Southeast Asia. There were no indigenous, four-legged animals in the Marianas. Domestic animals such as pigs, chickens, cats, dogs, pygmy quails, spotted deer, painted quails, goats, cattle and carabao were introduced to Guam during the Spanish period A popular dish at almost all get-togethers characterized by a technique used in preparing chopped meats with lemon juice, salt, grated coconut, and hot red peppers.
A staple on the fiesta table, most of the time, ribs and chicken are marinated for hours in a soy sauce and vinegar mixture, then seared on an open grill over charcoal or tangan tangan wood embers. A basic condiment used in Chamorro cuisine, the favorite sauce is prepared by mixing soy sauce, vinegar or lemon juice, chopped white onion, and fresh chili peppers. It can be spooned over food — especially meat — or used as a dipping sauce.
A lush Southern delicacy from the United States that has found its way to Guam. As the Chamorros enjoy great food, this dessert has found its way to most functions on the island.
Subscribe to our Stripes Pacific newsletter and receive amazing travel stories, great event info, cultural information, interesting lifestyle articles and more directly in your inbox! Looking to travel while stationed abroad? You do not appreciate it until you leave. What is the main religion of Guam? How does Guam make money? The economy of Guam depends mainly on US military spending and on tourist revenue.
The Government of Guam GovGuam is the biggest employer on the island exceeding the tourism industry and the federal military , with a payroll and retirement burden that has led in recent years to an ongoing and growing budget deficit.
Is Guam safe to visit? Generally speaking, Guam is safe and both the Australian and Canadian governments advise travelers need to only exercise normal precautions when visiting. However, methamphetamine-related crime and burglaries in particular, have been on the rise, according to Lonely Planet.
Is Guam a poor country? Guam is an unincorporated and organised territory of USA since December 10, , though a non-voting membership of the UN makes it a country alright.
Guam is one of small island developing states categorised by the UN. It also is a lower middle income country, like Bangladesh, as declared by the World Bank. Is Guam expensive? How Expensive is Guam? Guam is an island. For example, in the 'lower 48' Subway advertises the five dollar foot long sub, but it is the six dollar foot long on Guam.
Plus, you can expect hefty accommodations taxes on your hotel and service charges on meals eaten at hotel restaurants. Which is bigger Guam or Hawaii? Guam is a single island,while the term Hawaii is mostly referred to all 8 island's in the Hawaiian Chain..
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