The Chamorros bring a rich 4,000-year tradition from Guam to San Diego.
Chamorros are the indigenous people of the Mariana Islands, with the majority of them living on Guam. “It's a beautiful culture,” said Danny Blas, a local leader in the Chamorro community. “It's a beautiful language and it's a beautiful way of living.”
Danny grew up on Guam, but then his family moved to Illinois. “Coming to Illinois, the only people I knew that were Chamorro were my brothers and sisters and mom and dad and my cousins that would come to visit,” he said. “So, I kind of lost my way.”
It's a common story with Chamorros. Through colonization and moves, the traditions started getting lost. But when Danny moved to San Diego for a job in 2002, he realized Southern California had the largest Chamorro population away from Guam, with nearly 20,000 Chamorros currently residing in San Diego County. “I landed in the right place to learn more about my culture.”
And while traditions started to fade, there was one thing Chamorro people never lost - their warm and inviting way of life. “The most friendly, most welcoming people that you will ever, ever meet,” Danny said with a big smile.
MORE: www.cbs8.com/a...