Chamoru

There is very little published material in the mainstream on Chamorro family clan names from the Mariana Islands. The two most notable are from Anthony Ramirez’ “Chamorro Nicknames,” (1984) republished in Guampedia.com and Laura Thompson’s 1932, “Archaeology of the Mariana Islands.” While Thompson’s work on this topic primarily comes from Gertrude “Trudes Alimån” Hornbostel, and is somewhat brief, Ramirez provides an excellent baseline description of what tends to comprise a Chamorro family clan (nickname).

On June 24, 2012 a call for family clan name submissions was fielded on Facebook after being inspired by Joseph Hocog Aldan’s collection of family clan names from Rota, Tinian and Sa’ipan. This call with the assistance of Lou Torre Montez on several Facebook groups, in
addition to the data from Aldan’s work, the published work of Ramirez and Thompson, combined with the data from the Chamorro Roots Genealogy Project has now been incorporated within this document.

The people of the Mariana Islands have a practice of identifying people and providing people as individuals with nicknames rather than using first names. This is generally not the same as identifying families with clan names; that’s a different but often similar story. I would not be surprised if many of the reasons for people earning nicknames would parallel the same reasons for how or why Chamorro clan names evolve.

As a Chamorro genealogist, I often wondered about how many nicknames may have evolved over first names. On April 4, 2013, I launched this topic within the Facebook (FB) group Chamorro Roots – Håle’ Chamoru in an attempt to document and gather data from other group members. As of April 1, 2014 (no not April Fools), Lou Torre Montez, one of the Group’s Administrator/Moderators reported out that there were 655 entries. There were no additional entries through April 3, 2014 to mark the end of one year’s worth of data contributions.

When I started this pilot project I was not quite sure how the results would turn out. Initially, I wanted to set some inclusion and exclusion criteria for submission entries, but then realized that I might not capture the essence of people’s contributions and effort; and perhaps even frequency to distinguish between common, unique or even spin-­‐off nicknames.

It was also a way to connect with people to share their experiences and knowledge so any contribution was better than none! It is a great way to recognize people that contribute and have become a part and source of a community with a common interest; recognized by publishing these results. Hopefully, this effort will continue to spark interest and motivate others to contribute their knowledge and experience.

Back in 2016, I compiled a list of people recorded with the occupation of #Weavers and #Net-Makers who were recorded in the 1920, 1930 and 1940 Guam Census.  I have accounted for 285 people in hopes of inspiring families and those with the knowledge to share what they know about these people, weaving, net making, and perhaps disclose the names of others who may have had the skill, but not as an occupation. 

For example, my paternal great grandfather Leon Quitugua Anderson, manggåfan CHe’, was recorded both in the 1920 and 1930 Census. Although his occupation was recorded as a farmer, he was also widely known for his net making (talåya) skill that he also passed on to his sons and grandsons.