Overlooked culture
I love my island and my people, and it breaks my heart to see the Refaluwasch culture overlooked on the world stage.
Chamorro culture gets lots of love, like in NOAA Fisheries’ blog “Communicating Science in Saipan” from Sept. 14, 2018, where they say “Hafa adai! (That’s how you say ‘hello’ in the Mariana Islands.)”
Aren’t we Refaluwasch part of the Mariana Islands too? Where’s our loud and proud “Tirow”?
In 2019, my then-boyfriend, now husband, and I moved to the United States. It hurt to leave our beautiful home and family, and we still get homesick. But as love-struck teens, we were determined to make something of ourselves. Since moving here and becoming a recruiter, I’ve shared my story as an islander from Saipan with hundreds of people. I often hear, “Where is that? Is it near Hawaii? Are you Samoan?”
It’s frustrating that so many people don’t know about us. Maybe I haven’t done enough to educate the world about our culture and history. We need to do more to shine a light on our unique identity, Refaluwasch and Chamorro alike.
We have such a rich heritage and vibrant traditions that deserve to be recognized and celebrated. Our language, our dances, our stories—they all tell the tale of a resilient and proud people. It’s time we step up and make our voices heard.
What can I do to help spread the word and celebrate our culture?
Mai Teregeyo
Chalan Lau Lau
Letter to the Editor
