Guam still ruled by matriarchs | guampdn.com | Pacific Daily News

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By Monica Guzman, April 24, 2010.


In ancient Chamorro society, land, power and authority was passed down through the women, who were given all the honor and respect.

When I first heard of the matrilineal society in a history of Guam class, I thought, "How cool, women ruled!" How wonderful it was that Chamorro Women had the power and made all the decisions.

However, growing up with seven brothers and many, many uncles, the whole "matrilineal" thing seemed pretty far-fetched, as far as I was concerned. It wasn't until much later in my life -- by simply watching my mother and my aunties work their magic --that I began to understand the true influence and power women have.

As a kid, it always seemed that pop made all the rules. When he gave us that "atan baba" look -- Oh boy, we knew we were in trouble! Then there were the times when we would ask mom for something and she would say, "Faisen tata-mu." And when we asked pop, he would answer "Faisen nana-mu." Remember that?

As frustrating as it was, because neither would make the decision, you learned quickly when to stop asking or you would get nothing. In retrospect, I think lots of that kind of back and forth was mom testing pop and pop not being very sure what mom actually wanted him to do!

As I grew older, I began to realize that pop was generally taking orders from mom, who always had our best interests at heart, even if we rarely looked at it that way. Mom ruled! She had purview over any decisions that were made in our house. Her style was subtle yet powerful.

When pop brought home the bacon, he would hand it all over to her. She decided what we ate, where we went, how we dressed and with whom we played, no questions asked. That's just the way it went.

When times were tough, she held it all together with a quiet strength. She worked tirelessly for her husband, children, family and church, making personal sacrifices to ensure we always had the best she could give, managing it all with a smile or a chuckle. She was always very generous with her time and her unconditional love for all of us.

She defined the Chamorro matrilineal society in her own home -- that quiet influence and subtle control over all things familial. Publicly, mom would always seem to defer to pop, but we all knew better -- she ruled. She was Superwoman!

In today's Guam, we are still very much a matrilineal society in many ways. Women still rule the homes and, increasingly, are playing a more visible and active role in modern society. We have women judges and justices, attorney generals and auditors. We have top women executives in private companies, nonprofit organizations and in the board rooms. We have senators and congresswomen, our first woman speaker of the Legislature, and many doctors and teachers. In the not too far distant future, we may even have our first woman governor.

This past weekend, I had the honor of spending time with some super women at the Guam Women's Club "Women of Movement" Brunch. It was the first year the club honored women who went that extra mile in their different fields, quietly working away to make a difference in people's lives and providing inspiration to others without fanfare, recognition or public accolades.

The categories were in education, social work, philanthropy, communication, public service, and aid/care. The nominees were an eclectic mix of housewives, businesswomen, volunteers, professionals and students.

It was wonderful to be in the same room with these women, listening to their stories and how they quietly work to improve the quality of life for others while giving up so much of their own.

Inspired by our culture, the environment, or a real need in our community, many of them shared stories of pivotal events in their own lives, which turned into a lifelong advocacy for others. All the women being honored were shy and very nervous when they had to speak to the audience about themselves. But when it came to the programs and work that they did, you could really feel their passion, as their husbands and families quietly and proudly looked on.

All the awardees had that same subtle, yet powerful strength that reminded me so much of my mom.

Our matrilineal societal nuances are still as strong today as they were in ancient times. As we prepare to celebrate Mother's Day, let's all reflect on those strengths and positive influences that have been passed down though our maternal lines. For these are some of the things that truly define us as a unique island in the Pacific, for We Are Guam.

Monica Guzman is the CEO of the Galaide Group.