Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Lisa R Ganser

My grandfather from Guam was a quiet man, so I loved when he would tell me stories about growing up on the island. Deep into a game of checkers with his six-year-old granddaughter and constantly chewing on a betel nut, he told tale of fishing in beautiful Apra Harbor. I remembered him bringing back these silvery skip-jack tuna and the giant coconut crab my grandma would stew in coconut milk with Boonie peppers (hot peppers from Guam), a favorite smell and taste hardwired in the deepest part of my brain.   

I never knew how lucky I was to “talk story” with my grandpa. As a little kid, I picked up some CHamoru language and learned about the songs and ways of my Micronesian ancestors from his stories. CHamoru are the indigenous people of Guam and the Marianas Islands, a tiny corner of Micronesia. I learned to take pride in my island family, the precious fruits, vegetables, and shady trees that grew in the forest, the gifts the ocean shared with us, and the ever-present support and love of the CHamoru family.

The spirit of community is the driving force for the CHamoru way of life:

• “Aunties” stopping by to check on my grandparents, bringing by warm titiyas (CHamoru coconut flatbread) and staying to talk over a bowl of my grandma’s famous corn soup

• My grandfather and his neighbors gathering on the front stoop to solve the world’s problems together and divide up their daily catches among the families

• And my grandpa “talking story” with me

It’s acts of love like these that bind us as a community.

For many people, this harmonious and neighborly way of life becomes the foundation for successful communities that are strong and remain resilient through hardship. In CHamoru, inafa’maolek is the word that describes our cultural responsibility to take care of the people and environment that make up the community. It’s how we build social capital. Through inafa’maolek we preserve and pass down culture and language to future generations. We honor our ancestors and each other through everyday acts of love, like sharing with our neighbors or “talking story” with our young ones.

Mower County is grateful to have so many different communities living in the area. It’s clear that families and neighbors practice their own kind of inafa’maolek. We champion these acts of love to help make our county strong, especially during an emergency. Building social capital by supporting each other is one of the best ways to build resilient communities who honor and care for one another.

Here are some ways to build social capital or practice inafa’maolek in Mower County:

1. Sign up to volunteer with MN Responds to help out when the community needs you at MNResponds.org.

2. Meet your neighbors and learn more about them.

3. Attend community gatherings so you can meet people in the community.

4. Attend events at your church, with your sports team, or with your social clubs.

You don’t even need emergency medical experience to be an MNResponds volunteer. Being a familiar face or a friendly neighbor who can speak someone’s home language goes a long way to help your community, especially during an emergency. Help us build social capital and a strong Mower County today.