A Makåhna praying to a taotaomona (Courtesy of: Guampedia Collection)
an Aniti Spirit (Courtesy of: Guampedia Collection)
Our exchange with western style medicine had a big impact on the way the Chamorros viewed medicine. In the Spanish and Japanese eras, Chamorros often had to opt for traditional medicine and healing methods in their time of need. As the island evolved and more westerners arrived, our use of traditional healers and methods slowly dwindled down. By the time the Guamanian era came, our use of traditional medicine had become endangered of becoming extinct. In present time, a few Chamorros still utilize the suruhanus and suruhanas, but only a few healers remain. In conclusion, the exchange of western style medicine helped Guam develop a new way of using medicine.
Dr. Sablan working on a little girl (Courtesy of: Guampedia Collection)