Business & Finance

Gef Pa'go Gives Visitors, Locals a Look Back

TUMON, Guam - (February 10, 2010) - At Gef Pa’go, the spirit of Chamorro culture isn’t just found in the women who wear bright colored skirts and white blouses. And it’s not found in the gift shop, where handmade items like necklaces and coconut candy attract the eye of visitors from countries like Japan.

It’s in the salt, made from freshly boiled seawater collected near Merizo, and in the woven ropes of wild hibiscus, harvested “when the moon is thin.”

Gef Pa’go in Inarajan is more than a place for tourists to visit by the busload; it’s where local men and women can bake bread like their ancestors did or watch Auntie Loling Paulino weave branches of the Å’gak (pandana) tree together to make placemats, hats and lunch pails.

“This is the only place on Guam where we actually have elders portraying the life they lived when they were younger,” said Judy Flores, president of the Historic Inalahan Foundation Inc., and GVB Board member. “Our challenge comes in trying to pass all of this down to the younger generations. We don’t want to lose everything the manamko have taught us.”

Modeled after a traditional homestead from the Spanish era, Gef Pa’go sees hundreds of tourists each day during the week, including students from local schools. Tourist companies like Fukuda Enterprises also include it as a regular stop when visitors arrive from Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines and elsewhere in the world.

“The unique thing about Gef Pa’go is that it gives everyone a chance to learn about Chamorro culture,” said GVB General Manager Gerald S.A. Perez. “You can read about it in books all day long, but until you see it, you really don’t know. We’re so thankful that we have this treasure on Guam, and we hope to see more people learning about our culture there.”

Located across from the historic Gef Pa’go House built in 1901, the village teaches local teenagers through seasonal internship programs. Lessons include the old legends, how to husk a coconut with a hegåo, and how to make salt by boiling seawater.

“Making the coconut candy, the salt, weaving like that, it’s important for the kids,” said Connie Garrido, a Gef Pa’go staple and Inarajan Village Ambassador. “It’s important for children to know how we did things when we grew up. Some people say learning all of this or speaking Chamorro won’t help their children get into college. But it helps them know their heritage.”

Connie, a native Inarajan, used to live with her husband and in-laws in a house where the Gef Pa’go pavilion sits now. Typhoon Pamela destroyed it in 1976, so she moved to nearby Malojo.

“When I was growing up, after school we always had to go around and gather coconuts,” Connie said. “Back then, people didn’t mind if you went on their property. But my dad always told us to ask permission out of respect.”

It’s that same level of respect that Connie and Judy, and all the employees of Gef Pa’go are trying to inspire in the younger generation of Chamorros – and maybe even a few visitors along the way.

“Coming here everyday, making rope and boiling water for salt, it really makes you think about all the things our ancestors did,” said Kin Taimanglo, a Gef Pa’go employee. “They had to try so many things and really think about what they needed to do to survive. That’s why we respect them so much.”

Gef Pa’go is scheduled to hold the Fiestan Dinana’ Minagof Chamorro Dance Festival on Feb. 13-14, 2010, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event will showcase performances by school groups, professional and community dancers.

Traditional food tasting booths, games, arts & crafts, workshops and carabao rides will be available. Cash prizes will be given to winners of a hut decorating contest as well.

Media Contact:
Amanda Casciaro
acasciaro@visitguam.org
1-671-646-5278

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