chamorro month: style 3.10
Above: Joey displays a sinahi carved out of clamshell with Spondylus accents and a strand of pin shells. He wears the crescent-shaped piece with a solid long-sleeve blue shirt. Who says you can’t display cultural pride while wearing office attire? Top Right: Erica showcases a round Spondylus pendant and pin shell necklace. Her solid, light-colored top allows the neutral colors, textures, and classic shapes in her jewelry to pop out more. Right: Detail of a sinahi necklace. Bottom Right: Raphon wears his sinahi and Spondylus strand necklace with a dressy black shirt and slacks. A bracelet with a smaller carved sinahi compliments his necklace without overdoing it. Below: The pendant on Erica’s necklace was carved out of a clam shell and shaped like an adze. The adze was a tool the ancient Chamorros used often. The necklace is made of alternating pin shells and Spondylus for extra color. All these colors go well with denim. Left: Becky wears a necklace with three round carvings. The white circle is carved from a clam shell while two identical Spondylus shells knotted beside it complete the design.
TRADITIONAL CRAFT, MODERN JEWELRY In celebration of Chamorro Month, The High Road takes a look at ways you can incorporate Chamorro jewelry into your everyday wear. The looks we came up with are both easy to accomplish and modern.
12 | the high road. march 2010
CREDITS Models: Erica Susuico, Joey Duenas, Raphon Apiag, Becky Cepeda. All necklaces and sinahis featured are from the collection of Frank S.A. Mateo, artist and carver with the exception of Raphon’s sinahi necklace, which was carved by Mark A. Manglona.