The Taotao Mona of Guam
In Guam's jungles, people still ask permission before they walk in, in case the spirits of the ancient people are there.
What was reported
Taotao mona, 'people of before', are the spirits of the ancient Chamorro ancestors of Guam and the Mariana Islands. They are said to live in the jungle, especially in the banyan trees, called nunu, and around the old latte stone sites.
Many people on Guam ask the spirits' permission before entering the jungle, picking fruit or relieving themselves, and are careful not to cut a banyan tree. Those who don't, it's said, may be pinched, leave with unexplained bruises, or fall sick.
Explanations offered
The belief survived centuries of Spanish rule and Catholic missionaries, and remains part of Chamorro culture. It's a living tradition of respect for the land and the ancestors.
- When
- Told for centuries, and today
- Where
- Guam
- Witnesses
- Chamorro tradition
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.