By Angelo Haynes
The city of San Diego is a diverse community, home to many cultures that define the identity of America’s finest city; whether it be your favorite local Pho restaurant on El Cajon Blvd. or the murals of Chicano Park and the World Beat Center. San Diego is an embarrassment of cultural riches.
In Southeast San Diego, one woman has been preserving her native Chamorro culture for over 27 years — using her passion for traditional Chamorro art to connect with neighbors in the Skyline Hills neighborhood, all the way to representing Guam in cultural delegations internationally.
Rosemary Mantanona is a local dance group leader or Fafa’nå’gue (Cultural Leader in the Chamorro language) and cultural activist. In this role, she leads by example as a role model for the young men and women who have the opportunity to be in her dance group or “Guma” in Chamorro.
Imåhen Taotao Tåno’, which means “Images of the People of the Land” in native Chamorro language, is the first Guma established in San Diego that focuses on Chamorro cultural preservation. Ms. Mantanona migrated to the US in 1995 and created her Guma in 1999.
Rosemary’s position as a Fafa’nå’gue was received as 2 resolutions under the Guam legislature under legendary Chamorro Dance Master, Francisco “Frank” Rabon — a choreographer, dancer and cultural leader who brought about a revival of Chamorro dance, chant and song. The first resolution recognizes her as a Fafa’nå’gue – a teacher of the Chamorro Arts, and the second recognizes her as a Tribal Council Member that oversees the Welfare of all dance Gumas. Ms. Mantanona also ensures that all Gumas stay aligned with Master Dr. Frank Rabon’s vision and mission.
Rosemary’s mission is keeping the Chamorro culture alive, even after years of colonization of their island nation. She describes a childhood fractured by 3 military bases, 1 for the Airforce, 1 for the Navy, and 1 for the Marines. These bases occupy vast swaths of land on the island and create an outsized environmental, economic and social impact on the native Chamorros.
Despite these circumstances Rosemary remains steadfast.
“Despite our colonizers, despite the western influence; you will still find it very prevalent…. In the homes of our Chamorro families, where the women hold much dominance and high respect.”
Rosemary is part of a long line of a leadership tradition and mentorship with her father Tito Aguon Mantanona, the former mayor of her home village of Telafofo in Guam. She emphasizes her leadership development in her work with students.
“My Guma members understand that they become the vital parts of our society, they will be the future leaders.” Ms. Mantanona remarked. “It’s not about the money; it’s about making an impact across the world and uplifting the spirits of our people.”
For 27 years, Rosemary has taught dance to all who asked, forming a family modeled after the clans of Rosemary’s native island home. She considers this as one of her biggest blessings to share her culture with everyone, regardless of whether they have Chamorro blood or not.
It began with small practice sessions of 3-5 students in the front yard of her home in the skyline hills. But very quickly, Rosemary’s Guma grew enough to the point where she needed a space to practice for 20+ dancers.
It wasn’t hard to convince the SDPD to allow her to hold dance practices at their southeastern division police station front parking lot.
For years Rosemary has literally been sewing goodwill throughout the community by engaging with neighbors and harvesting palm fronds from their yards. A harvest that was necessary to teach Chamorro palm weaving.
“My Guma here in San Diego learns all of the arts, as well as Chamorro history and language which is where the chanting comes in” Rosemary stated. “For 27 years I have devoted my focus to spreading our culture through 4 components: singing, chanting, dancing and weaving.”
Rosemary’s mastery of her dance and of her culture’s traditional crafts such as weaving, brought her to perform and teach her culture around the world in France, and just recently, at the U.S. ‘s 250-year anniversary in Washington DC.
Readers can find Guma Imåhen Taotao Tåno’ online here — if they wish to support the ongoing work of her non-profit. Readers can also find a schedule of their future performances at the same link with 2 highlighted below.
Guma Imåhen Taotao Tåno’ Upcoming performances:
– 9th Annual Håfa Adai Festival 08/22/26
Balboa Park International Cottages 2100 Pan American Road East
– 32nd Annual Pacific Islander Festival of San Diego 09/26 & 09/27
Ski Beach, Mission Bay, San Diego (Guma Taotao Tano performing on Sunday 09/27)
Readers should also know that this year’s upcoming Pacifica Islander Festival, or PIFA for short, will be the largest Polynesian gathering on the west coast, so you don’t want to miss out.
