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If you are planning a trip to Guam in the month of May, you will be right in time to catch Guam’s famous coconut festival, celebrated every year to showcase a tree which is irrevocably woven into the Chamorro way of life.
The coconut is revered as the ‘Tree of Life’ in several tropical cultures and the Chamorro culture of Guam is also one of them. The use of this tree goes beyond food for the Chamorros and every aspect of Chamorro life is linked to this tree of life in some way or the other.
Details of Coconut Festival in Guam:
When: May 1, 2, & 3, 2015
Event begins with crowning of Coconut Festival Queen on May 1st at 7.30 pm and concludes with the float parade on may 3rd.
Where: Gef Pa’go Chamorro Cultural Village
The 2015 Coconut Festival is being held in conjunction with the Inalahan Fiesta and the event will start off with the crowning the 2015 Coconut Festival Queen and her Royal Court. Various uses of the different parts of the coconut tree will be showcased at the event and these include traditional and contemporary crafts, Chamorro huts, and other souvenir items.
The event will also be marked by a series of events and activities open to the public and inviting their participation. There will be coconut husking, coconut grating, “talaya” fishnet casting, a tuba drinking contest, carabao rides, concessions and a float parade. This year the theme for the float parade is ‘tree of Life’.
A fiesta in honor of St.Joseph the Worker will also be held as part of the Coconut Festival.
The late Monsignor Oscar Calvo who had served as the San Jose parish priest in 1947 was the man who started off this celebration, which soon turned into a beloved, annual Guam tradition.
In addition to the contests and activities, there will also be free tours of the Gef Pa’go Chamorro Cultural Village, which replicates the lifestyle of the Chamorro in the 1940s and 1950s, live music and dance shows. If you visit, you can also learn some practical skills like using the shell to make charcoal, cups, ladles and spoons; making scrubbers, ropes and fuel out of the husk and weaving baskets and roofing from the leaves. There will also be demonstrations on making coconut oil, tuba and coconut candy.
From being hounded once as an unhealthy, cholesterol increasing food, the coconut is now being recognized as a healthy ingredient and the benefits of coconut oil are being accepted. So it would be a good idea to celebrate this humble tree with us in Guam.
Days Inn, the most popular Guam Hotel is ready to welcome you to this celebration. Come stay with us, celebrate the Tree of Life and have the satisfaction of knowing that you stayed in the #1 Hotel in Tamuning according to Trip Advisor.
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