Hima Latte Stone

Latte Stone pendant carved from the giant clam shell.

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...sinahi

This sinahi was carved from the bear paw giant clam that was found right here on Sa'ipan. It's approximately 2 1/2" in length and a little over half an inch at the center. This particular piece belongs to my wife.

This sinahi is approximately 2 1/2" in length and a little ove half an inch at the center. It is beaded with orange spondylus shell. This too, belongs to my wife.

This is a hima sinahi and is approximately 4 1/2" in length and 1 1/4" thick at the middle.

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Rocking their precious Hima Sinahi

Francis and Jess proudly wearing their hima sinahi. Both sinahi's are carved from the tridacna gigas shell and beaded with the orange spondylus (Thorny Oyster) shell.

Hima sinahi with spondylus beads. This particular piece is owned by Francis Mendiola.

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Artifact Sinahi (Original Piece from the Ancient Chamorro Period)

Front view of two hima sinahi I just finished carving.

Top view of the sinahi with spondylus inlay signature.

This sinahi belongs to my son Gordon Jr. It has orange spondylus beads.

Same sinahi as above.

My son re-enacting a Chamorro warrior gazing through the horizon for any signs of colonizer(s).

This is the look of a proud CHAMORRO.

An imposing look directed towards the colonizer(s).

The above sinahi is an artifact. It is approximately 5" long and quite thick at the center. This artifact sinahi belongs to Noel B. Quitugua. I had borrowed it to make a stencil so that I can replicate it for my own sinahi necklace. If and when I am done carving the piece, I will be posing it in the near future for everyone to see.

Notice the drilled hole to the left and right of the sinahi. Both sides have either chipped off or cracked.

This is a top view, however, the sinahi is laid on its side.

Bottom view laid on its side.

A view from a different angle. The Ancient Chamorro's are real master carvers based on the artifact I have examined.

Front view of the artifact sinahi.

Another hima sinahi I just finished carving. This sinahi is approximately 3 1/4" in lenght and about 1/2" thick at the middle.

This one illustrates my spondylus inlay signature.

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Sinahi ginen Sa'ipan

The above sinahi was carved by Joe Guzman. The hima from which this sinahi was carved, was found right here in Sa'ipan. It is approximately 6 1/2" in lenght.

This is the same sinahi as above. It is a close up view of the spondylus inlay. Before the inlay, there was an imperfection on the said site. The spondylus inlay makes it a unique piece as it is the only one of its kind.

My art work on display for a photo session.

Close up view of the different art pieces that I carved.

A picture of Pagat and I at the 22nd Guam Micronesia Island Fair (2009). Notice the colossal hima in the center as well as the Acho' Latte.

Guelo and I at the same grounds. Guelo is from the island of Luta and check out his massive slingstone (Acho' Atupat).

Artists (Carvers) from the Chamorro Archipelago (670). The artist to my right is Steve.

Ko SanNicholas from Guahan show casing the Sade and Sinahi necklace beaded with spondylus shells.

A picture of Guelo and I in front of a Latte Stone.

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Haguet Guaka (Jadish)

The above haguet (hook) was carved from a cows horn. This piece has a combination of colors ranging from green, white, and black with some swirls in the greenish white area at the front.

The back side of the same haguet.

A view from a different angle showing some of the swirls.

Another angle showing color variation.

A close up view of the front.

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Spondylus Drop

This spondylus drop is fairly small in stature but packs a powerful punch. It has a bright deep orange color with a rather high luster finish.

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Latte Stone Trochus

The above art work is a Latte Stone earring carved from the trochus shell. Looking at the scale, it is approximately an inch in height.

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The above sinahi belongs to me; I carved this sinahi from the giant clam shell found right here on the island of Sa'ipan. The beads were carved from the spondylus shell; again, these were procured right here on Sa'ipan.

This is the same sinahi with a frontal view. By the way, this sinahi is about 5 inches long and 2 inches thick at the middle.

Top view of my sinahi with my spondylus inlay signature.

My sinahi bracelet with spondylus beads along side another sinahi and the adze.

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Spondylus beads

Hima sinahi with spondylus beads; shark tooth.

Another angle

This is the same higam hima at a different angle.

Higam Hima

The above art work is a Higam Hima. The tip was made from the tridacna shell. It was bound using the coconut fiber rope.

Minachom Atdao

Spondylus shells and beads.
Complete spondylus shells.

Sa'ipan sunset.

My son is getting in touch with his ancentral (Chamorro) roots. Here, he is wearing a Sinahi necklace beaded with spondylus shell. He was walking on the ground where our ancestors once walked upon.

The above art work was carved from the giant clam shell. The center pendant is a slingstone; everything else that follows are sharktooth.

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Spondylus Hook...

Spondylus chips made into necklaces. To the left is a complete spondylus shell. To the right is a spondylus salape.
Slingstone carved from the spondylus shell and strung with a braided black cord.

Spondylus necklace with a complete bright orange spondylus shell.

Purple spondylus with slingstone and haguet pendants.

I absolutely love this piece. It's a sinahi carved in the shape of an artifact sinahi with Acho' Latte carving. The thing with this piece is that it's carved entirely from the trochus shell.

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