Veneration is the word when it comes to Ancient Chamorro Religion. This might come as a surprise to many present time Chamorro's but Ancient Chamorro's were never associated with the Catholic Religion. They believed in Ancestral Veneration. "Veneration is looking on with great respect and reverence. The respect the ancient Chamorros had for older people naturally led them to respect their ancestors. The spirit or soul was believed to be immortal. Death did not end a family member's concern for the welfare of the whole group. Death did not end the love and honor felt toward the ancestor. Ancestor veneration was just an extension of basic human relationship from this world to the supernatural" (Cunningham, 1992).
This veneration was practiced by praying to the Ante (Chamorro Ancestral Spirit) and by preserving ancestral skulls. In times of famine and warfare, the Chamorros would pray to their ancestral skull for help. Going back to the Catholic religion; plain and straight to the point: It was forced on the Chamorro people. I will discuss this in the near future..
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Very interesting... I am Chamorro/Yugoslavian but just slavian now apparently cause of how changes were made in the splitting of the country. Anyways I notice a hardened style of respect and power from the elders so to me and I am sure many other Chamorros still practice the respect and reverence to the point of both living and passed. Though I think the skull isn't practiced much I tried being Catholic, Mormon, Protestant, etc... But deep inside it never worked for me but a place to escape, Parents tried to force us because it was a "Moral" thing to do and practice. But yes deep inside I keep having a tugging to the island like its been calling me for along time to come home. Does anyone else feel the same or am I just crazy...
ReplyDelete-Putting one up for the Camachos-
By the way thank you for this.
DeleteSaina Ma'ase
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