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Guam Lifestyle and Culture

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Guamanian culture is a fusion of traditional Chamorro culture with American, Spanish, Filipino, other Micronesian Islander traditions. An indigenous pre-Hispanic customs remained following Spanish contact. Spanish influences are evident in the local language, music, dance, sea navigation, cuisine, fishing, games (such as Batu, chonka, estuleks, and bayogu), songs, and fashion.

General etiquette

Here are a few things you should note in terms of general etiquette in Guam. It is advised to dress modestly and swimwear should only be worn at the beach. Younger people will stand when older people arrive or leave,

Religion

Religion is dominated by Christianity, with 75% being Catholics, 17.7% Protestants, 1.1% Buddhists, 4.5% other, and1.7% unaffiliated.

Food and cuisine

Guamanian cuisines show a combination of traditional Chamorrian cuisine, Spanish cuisine, Asian cuisine, and American cuisine.  Popular Guamanian dishes include:

  • RED RICE- this is a staple and a necessary part of a meal at any party or gathering as has been for years. The main ingredient, the achote seed which most likely was first introduced to the Chamorro people by the Spanish.These achote seeds are soaked in water and the rice is then cooked in the water giving it a deep red or bright orange color, depending on how long these seeds are soaked. Other ingredients include onions and garlic which brings a wonderfully subtle earthiness to the rice and makes for a visually appealing side dish to your meal.
  • KELAGUEN- this is a signature local dish combining lemon juice, onions, local hot peppers, salt, grated coconut, seafood, beef, chicken, or even Spam. Chicken is the most popular meat chosen in kelaguen and tastes the best when barbequed beforehand. Octopus or squid are harder to find but offer one of the best types of kelaguen.
  • KADON PIKA- kadon means stew and the word “pika” means spicy. This stew is made with chicken as the main feature. Other ingredients include soy sauce, vinegar, salt, black pepper, onions, garlic, local hot peppers and, coconut milk. The chicken is marinated in the combination of the above ingredients and the hot peppers and the coconut milk are added after it has simmered for a while.
  • COCONUT CANDY- It is a combination of sugar and freshly grated coconut. The sugar is heated and melted down and the coconut is added and cooked is then formed into balls or rectangles. It is a nice, tasty confectionery which and often comes in small pieces so you can enjoy it.

Music

Modern music in Guam combines elements of American, Spanish, Filipino, and Polynesian music. The Spanish and Mexicans developed a type of song called serenata. Music has been an important cultural aspect in the lives of indigenous Guamanians.

It encompasses a variety of styles and other musical influences, ranging from the older style Batsu, jitterbug, cha-cha, to country, disco, rock and roll, and reggae. One notable modern Guam artist is Pia Mia who mixes Pop, R&B, and Hip-hop in her original music.

Sport

The most popular sport in Guam is American football, followed by basketball and baseball. Soccer is also popular. Guam hosted the Pacific Games in 1975 and 1999 and finished 7th of 22 countries at the 2007 games and 14th at the 2011 Games.

The national basketball teams for both men and women are one of the top teams in Oceania behind Australia and New Zealand.

The Guam national football team was founded in 1975 and joined FIFA in the year 1996. It plays at regional and international competitions and has played at the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Guam also plays rugby though the team has never qualified for a Rugby World Cup.

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