Millennials and Gen Z: we need a viable alternative to the nobena. Many of us are moving away from, or are already far from being practicing Catholics. Yet, as kids, the lisåyu was INSTRUMENTAL in bringing us closer to family. In MY case it did that and helped me with Chamorro.

Say what you will about being Catholic, the nobena, independent of the bullshit associated with that religion, teaches A LOT about Chamorro familia and society. You practiced your respetu there, you practiced mamålao there, you got tågu, you might have learned to cook,

You learned which of your cousins you liked playing with the most, you learned who your aunts and uncles were, who your grandparents siblings were, you learned words (written in the prayer books) that were spoken from antigu times,

Bruh and don’t even get me started on the chow. It tastes better at a nobena.

It’s not enough for us to say we don’t like being Catholics. What do we do after we move on?

Cuz what if our kids look back at us the same way we look at our parents and grandparents? To say “why didn’t you practice this part of the culture? I feel like I’ve been denied part of my heritage.”

Fawk you boi cuz that would suck wouldn’t it? You and I, the younger gen, spend so much time upset we were Americanized, upset our parents didn’t pass on a stronger Chamorro culture to us. Maybe it wasn’t so simple. We need to consider how to keep from repeating history here.

So, a viable alternative. Do I know of one? I like the different Guma that dance has created. I think that’s a start. But no lie I’m unsure what can replace the nobena as a socializing and family orienting tool. Thoughts?