Daughters of the Island

Laura Marie Torres Souder, Ph.D., Daughters of the Island: Contemporary Chamorro Women Organizers on Guam, 2nd Edition, 1992.

“…This record of the lives of nine Chamorro women, their coping strategies and resolution of personal conflicts, can serve as both inspiration and role model for Chamorro Women attempting to make personal decisions which deal with the contradictions that so often become a source of frustration and lack of fulfillment…”

“The meaning given to the contributions and struggles of these women must continuously be re-analyzed as we move towards self-determination as a people. We are challenged as never before about what to do with the land and our rapid alienation from it.  We are faced with the challenge of educating a generation of men and women who must have a sense of respect towards equal partnerships in which the code of machismo or inequality must somehow take a backseat if we are to survive with dignity and with a sense of peoplehood…”

There is very little documented specific history of our Chamorro women, yet they remain the very core of why our Chamorro people and culture remain in existence.  Dr. Souder’s book offers a keen perspective and balance of this oversight and how some Chamorro women have made significant impact on Guam. I hope that this book and the like would inspire others to write more about our Chamorro women! Many excellent articles on our Chamorro women can be also found on www.GuamPedia.com.

The nine Chamorro women listed in this book include: