Achoti yan Hineska' Agaga' - Anna Banana's Creative Stories

Achoti yan Hineksa’ Agaga’ “Red Saffron Seed & Red Rice” I fine'nina gi i lamasa: The first on the table. Reality hits hard when the memories awaken at the crux of the matter, when we gather as one as family and friends in a Chamoru fiesta. Let me set you off back into a dream, at the beginning of the time when the Spanish missionaries settled on our island. The gift of the rare achoti seed holds the symbol of change, a symbol of a new beginning, a symbol of a gift of an unforgettable bond that would forever transform the Chamoru people. It was a Spanish mission to convert and bring to the world God’s true story of Jesus Christ. Although lives have been transformed, lives have been taken.But a newfound approach to Christian spirituality echoes the true faith of the one who died for us and sacrificed his life to save us from despair; we have learned it was Jesus Christ. Healers of the island turn to the achoti for survival and restoration, and there is so much power in this achoti seed. It is a tower of Na’ metgot (to make strong). It is so powerful that not only did it convert us to find Jesus, it is so powerful that it was one of the many seeds to grow from the soil up, still to this very day, and it is so powerful that the achoti created the Hineksa’ Agaga,’ in which when we gather all the food on the time to place them the Hinesksa’ Agaga’ is the first on the table, and the first to be served. Hineksa’ Agaga’ the red rice, is the strong foundation of a symbol of being grounded, a symbol of togetherness, a symbol of goodness, and a symbol of the reminder of what God’s message to us all as Chamoru, even though it was in the past, but we share this as a symbol of sacrifice. So, a reminder, when you wait so patiently, your turn to get your first serving of the Hineksa’ Agaga,’ is to think of this: we are not serving the Hineksa’ Agaga,’ because we have to, but because we wholeheartedly want to, and that we want to serve you humbly first, because the making of that Hineksa Agaga was not only a sacrifice, it was a service made for… you. Megai na bendision (Many blessings). Written by Anna Marie Moniz (Baleto)

Reflections of Guam's Agriculture and Customs

“Lya-hu na Påtgon Famalao’an (My Sisters): Never Forget Your Protective Heart.”I Tulu Na Puti Sihek Ñeña: The Three Little Bird Sihek Sisters: At the core of the power of the number three: the story of Christ Jesus begins with the Trinity, the three wisemen, the three-word phrases love, hope, and faith, and God’s third day of rest after creation. In Chamoru, the number three is “tulu.” This is a powerful number in Guam culture, giving a sense of just enough. In Chamoru tradition, three often symbolizes harmony and completeness. It appears in traditional storytelling, where triads show balance and wholeness, and in the formation of families and clans, where it represents unity and strength. My sisters have been a foundation of what I am today. As young as we were, they built me up and protected me from bullies. Although yesterday is gone, I remember the times we held each other as we moved into another chapter. Though unforeseen circumstances have changed our lives, the memory of playing in the open field of Mother Nature’s playground remains profound. Our young lives were simple: sipping from the water hose, swimming in the warm ocean in the evening, splashing water at each other, hearing our parents argue over the burnt turkey, and spending nights laughing over silly gossip. I never wanted our endless nights to end. It was an unbroken promise, a secret that, in time, rekindles our laughter, tears, and memories. I see us as the three little sihek birds, a symbol of an unspoken bond. A protective, nurturing, rare, three-of-a-kind bond that keeps their hearts together. We learned that if we stick together, the bond gets stronger, our lives are nourished, and loneliness fades. You had faith not just in yourselves, but in each other. Through all our trials and errors, you were my pyramid, building me up. You strengthen my soul and my weaknesses. You are my sisters forever. Hågu i che’lu-hu gi todo tiempo, Lolanie Charfauros Moniz Mesa and Mary Jo Moniz-Rome Written By: Anna Marie (Baleto) Moniz