Guam Economy, People, Culture and Flag

PEOPLE OF GUAM

The island of Guam boasts of a wonderful blend of warm people, scenic terrains and a proud heritage. The place still preserves the Spanish ethnicity along with the old-island traditions that are worth experiencing.

The aboriginal natives of the Guam Island are:

•  "Chamorros" (of Micronesian descent).

•  Americans,

•  Chinese,

•  Filipinos,

•  Japanese,

•  Koreans,

•  Micronesians

English is the native language of the region where the local people trust on individualism and mutual understanding and are aware of their private property rights. The people are generally open hearted in nature, and treasure their family members thereby abiding by the rules set by the elder ones.

ARTS, CULTURE AND MUSIC OF GUAM

Art: Handicraft is something, which the local natives of Guam resort to. From weaving to hand crafting variety of items this place has enough to offer as far as shopping is concerned. Watch out for the plaited works of pandanus leaf baskets, to food containers, from hats woven naturally to loom-woven products like the hibiscus designed fiber skirts, from burial blankets to body embellishments made of beads and shell necklaces, from bracelets to combs designed from the tortoise shells.

Culture: The native culture is apparently evident from the local dance of the region, from the navigation that takes place within the sea, from the exclusive cuisines and local games like batu, chonka, estuleks and bayogu and lastly from the fusion of songs and fashion statements.

Chamoru totally revolves around the word respect as the local people pay respect to their elders by kissing their wrist or hands.

Chanting, courtship ceremony, canoe making, Belembautuyan making (a musical instrument), constructing spears and tool manufacturing, burial rites, herbal medicines made by suruhanas, to the ritual of forgiveness from elderly spiritual relatives are something that can be witnessed here.

Inafa'maolek, or the word interdependence, is something the native people of the Chamorro culture value. Inafa'maolek is a feeling of cooperation, compassion, caring and acceptance on which the basis of the society revolves.

Music: The state song of this region, which became popular in this region is "Guam Hymn" sung by Ramon Sablan that was accepted by public in 1919. Flora Baza Quan became renowned as the "Queen of Chamorro Music" in this region.

Modern music in Guam derived from the American, Spanish, Filipino and Polynesian music influences. It was the Spanish and Mexicans that contributed to the origin of a new kind of music called as serenetas.

The major Music foundation in Guam that can be resorted to are University of Guam's Fine Arts Department, Guam Symphony Society, Guam Choristers and the Gregorian Institute of Guam.

Several concerts are held in The Guam Symphony Society that originated during the month of 1967. The famous concerts that perform here are Symphony Seaside Concert and the Musikan Famagu'on that execute especially for kids. The native record labels are Napu Records and Sell Star Records that have gained quite a name within the place.

The Guamian music is even featured with Chamorro chants and Kantan Chamorrita (Chamorrita singing), which is a sort of Chamorro poetry.

The native Chamorro instruments that accompany along with the music are the belembaotuyan, a stringed apparatus, along with the nose flute.

Kantan singing has gained quite popularity wherein a person mocks at another with a rhythmic verse that proceeds forward to a group later on.

FLAG OF GUAM

The flag of Guam was officially accepted in the month of February 9, 1948. The flag of Guam is designed with a red narrow border on all the four sides of the flag, which is set on a dark blue background. This territorial flag has a vertical ellipse logo, which is placed centrally, is designed with a beach panorama, small canoe boat sailing along the blue waters along with the description of a big palm tree. The word GUAM is inscribed in bold red colors that overlay the logo.

ECONOMY OF GUAM

Guam basically concentrates on the country's return from the expenditure made by the US Military services, from the tourism industry and from the export of fishes and handicrafts.

The tourist industry has of late considerably developed with the expansion of hotels in the area that attracts millions of tourists round the year. Approximately around 1 million tourists travel to Guam every year. The tourism industry received a major hindrance from the Japanese and Korean community that once traveled to this region in great numbers have declined in recent times. Previously there were about 1,000,000 travelers from Japan and 150,000 from Korea. It was in 1990s the country has a major setback with super-typhoons, an earthquake, and through the Korean airline crash.

Food and industrial goods are imported to Guam on which the place depends considerably.

• The thriving Industries of the region are the US military sources, tourism, food processing construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing, publishing, and textiles.

• The goods that are exported in the region are transshipments of refined petroleum goods, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products

• The commodities that are imported are petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Stay connected at Mapsofworld for all relevant information about the Guam Island.