Chamorro Cuisine

Chamorro cuisine is the native cuisine of the Mariana Islands(Manislan Mariånas), including Guam(Guåhan) and the Northern Mariana Islands. The Mariana Islands are an archipelago in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. They were first inhabited centuries ago by the Chamorro people, who have common ancestors with the native people of the Philippines. The islands were discovered and controlled by the Spanish for centuries until they ultimately lost control and Guam was ceded to the United States. Guam is the largest and most populous of the Mariana Islands.

Chamorro cuisine shares strong similarities with Filipino cuisines. Many Filipinos moved to the Mariana Islands during the Spanish colonial period. Kelaguen shares origins with kilawin or kinilaw of the Philippines. Filipino cooking methods such as stewing in vinegar and wrapping foods in banana leaf to cook are shared with Chamorro cuisine.

The cuisine of the Marianas Islands also shares traits with other island Pacific cuisines. Seedless breadfruit(lemmai) and other foods were brought to the Marianas by other Pacific island traders long ago. Other common foods include taro, coconut, Polynesian arrowroot, and tropical fruit.

Spanish influence is apparent in several aspects of Chamorro cuisine. The Spanish brought annatto(achote) and cassava from Latin America to the Mariana Islands as well as the Philippines. Chili, tomato, citrus, and onion are shared ingredients that probably resulted from Spanish control as well. Chamorro red rice strongly resembles Spanish rice. Titiyas are a Chamorro adaptation of tortillas.

Mortar(lusong) and pestle(mano) were used for hulling rice until about a hundred years ago. Many stone tools were made from basalt(atulong), while some were made from coral or limestone. Stone scrapers(guesgues) and stone knives(se’se’) were used.

Ingredients

The Marianas Islands are one of the few Pacific island regions which produced rice historically. Rice(få’i) was traditionally reserved for special occasions. Today rice is more common, likely resulting from foreign influence.

A type of jungle rice(chaguan aga’ga) existed in the Marianas Islands and may have been cooked with rice to give it a reddish color in old times.

Other staple foods include starchy vegetables, especially seedless breadfruit(lemmai), marianas breadfruit(dukduk), and red taro. Both the root and leaves of taro are used.

Coconut(niyok) is a very important ingredient in Chamorro cuisine. The tender meat of young coconut(månha) is often used for sweet dishes. Coconut cream is made from mature coconuts and used widely for stews and soups.

pandanus(påhong)

areca nut(pugua’), betel leaf(pupulu)

cayenne? chili(donne’ pika)

garlic(åhos), shallot and onion(siboyas), green onion(siboyas chamoru), ginger(åsngot), turneric(mango’), annatto(achote)

red taro(suni), giant taro(piga’), swamp taro(ba’ba’), yam(dågon)

banana(aga’), calamansi(kalamanse’), bitter orange(lalångha)

mango(mångga), may be pickled unripe; papaya also pickled unripe

sugarcane(tupo)

vinegar(binakle)?

sweet potato(kamuti), water spinach(kangkong)

federico nut(fadang) is a poisonous cycad nut that can be treated and made into flour, then used to make titiyas.

flying fish

bumphead parrotfish(atuhong), large parrotfish(laggua) and small parrotfish(palakse’)

large skipjack(mamulan), medium skipjack(tarakito), skipjack tuna(bonito)

An endemic type of fruit bat(fanihi) is considered a delicacy. However, it may be dangerous to consume in large quantities.

Dishes

• red rice(hineksa’ aga’ga): flavored rice wi colored red by annatto seed
• turmeric rice(hineksa’ mango’): flavored rice colored yellow by turmeric
• titiyas: tortillas made with coconut
• gollai appan lemmai(gollai åppan lemmai): breadfruit cooked in coconut cream until evaporated
• gollai hagun suni(gollai hågun suni): taro leaves cooked in coconut cream
• tinaktak: minced dish cooked in coconut cream, usually meat with long bean, tomato, and chili
• fina’denne’: sauce with chili, green onion, lemon or vinegar, and usually soy sauce
• kelaguen: meat marinated in citrus with green onion, chili, sometimes grated coconut
• kadu(kådu): soup or stew, usually with meat and seasonal vegetables
• kadun pika(kådun pika): spicy stewed meat with vinegar and other seasoning
• potu
• apigigi(apigigi’): cassava and coconut dumpling wrapped in banana leaf and grilled or boiled
• ahu(åhu): sweet starchy pudding with young coconut meat

Resources

• Common, Chamoru, and Scientific Names of Fruits and Vegetables
• Chamorro Fish Names
• Chamoru Food