The Heart of CHamoru Entrepreneurship: Inafa’maolek and Famalao’an in Business
Entrepreneurship is more than just business–it is a reflection of cultural values, family and personal identity. For many CHamoru business owners, the foundation of their work is deeply rooted in traditions that have shaped the island for generations. Two women have built businesses that both celebrate creativity and uphold core CHamoru principles: Tingz by T, embodying inafa’maolek, and Dudus Girl Guam, honoring the strength of famalao’an.
These two values–inafa’maolek, the CHamoru concept of mutual care and reciprocity, and famalao’an, the central role of women in CHamoru society–have shaped how these businesses operate. Through their work, these entrepreneurs are fostering connections, empowering their communities and redefining what it means to be a CHamoru woman in business.
Tingz by T: A Business Rooted in Inafa’maolek
Tingz by T started as a hobby in February 2020 when founder Talysa Kakas made a pair of earrings for herself. After receiving interest from her co-workers, the hobby quickly became a successful jewelry brand with thousands of followers on Instagram. The business showcases her creative passion while celebrating her CHamoru heritage with the incorporation of cultural symbols and local phrases into her designs.
Kakas’s entrepreneurial journey was deeply influenced by her family, particularly her mother, who inspired her creativity, and her late grandfather, who supported her in making her pop-up displays.
It was her family that instilled in Kakas the cultural values that guided her journey as an entrepreneur. She emphasized the importance of perseverance, saying, “Being an entrepreneur takes a lot of self-determination. It takes a lot of resiliency, it takes a lot of passion for yourself.”
She remained committed to her passion despite facing challenges, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. The business grew primarily through social media, allowing her to connect with customers authentically.
Tingz by T products showcased at a previous pop-up event. Photo courtesy of Talysa Kakas/Tingz by T.
For Kakas, fostering community and reciprocity are at the heart of everything she does. Her brand has grown into a platform for cultural expression and connection. Inspired by island life and CHamoru heritage, her jewelry and accessories reflect the symbols, language, and nostalgia of Guam. But the spirit of inafa’maolek woven into her designs guides her business in ways that go beyond commerce.
This philosophy is evident in Kakas’s interactions with customers and her efforts to give back to the island. She frequently donates to local schools, community events, and fundraisers, embodying the CHamoru tradition of generosity without expecting recognition.“Those are things I don’t advertise,” she said. “Because you know, when you want to do something, just do it—just to be nice, right? Just to give back.”
Her commitment to inafa’maolek also extends to her engagement with younger generations. Whenever Kakas does pop-up events at a school’s career fair or for a Mes CHamoru celebration, she often discounts prices for students to encourage them to make independent purchases and learn the value of financial responsibility. For Kakas, this is a way of empowering the youth to have that autonomy over themselves.
Despite the growth of Tingz by T, Kakas still sees it as a passion project rather than a full-time career. Her work as a social worker aligns with her values of service and care, and she continues to balance both roles with a sense of gratitude. Through her business, she hopes to remind others that CHamoru culture isn’t just something to be preserved. CHamoru culture is something to be lived, shared and passed on through everyday acts of generosity and kindness.
Dudus Girl Guam: Celebrating the Power of Famalao’an
As for Celia Anderson’s Dudus Girl Guam, it is more than just a jewelry and accessories brand. The brand is a tribute to the strength and influence of CHamoru women. Since its launch in 2019, Dudus Girl Guam has dedicated itself to empowering women to embrace their confidence and identity. The concept of famalao’an, which recognizes women as central figures in CHamoru society, has been the driving force behind Anderson’s vision.
Caption: Celia Anderson assists a customer at her previous pop-up at an Ina Wellfest event. Photo courtesy of Celia Anderson/Dudus Girl Guam.
Anderson’s entrepreneurial journey first began with Bonita Bath and Body, a soap-making business inspired by Guam’s culture. But managing her business and education as a full-time student at the time was challenging, leading her to close the business. Undeterred by this setback, Anderson pursued a new venture, Dudus Girl Guam.
In addition to running Dudus Girl Guam, Anderson also manages Bonita Baby, her family’s boutique specializing in kid-friendly, CHamoru-inspired products.
Anderson’s biggest inspiration was her mother, who quit her day job to establish Bonita Baby in 2014, one of the first CHamoru children’s boutiques. Watching her mother’s success, Anderson was encouraged to pursue her own business idea. After her mother’s passing in 2022, Anderson’s dedication to continuing her legacy through Bonita Baby and Dudus Girl Guam mattered more than ever.
A defining feature of Dudus Girl Guam is its reclamation of the word “dudus.” Anderson’s brand has transformed this term into something empowering, encouraging women to be confident and unapologetically themselves.
“Dudus to the older generation means showy and flirtatious, like showing off. If you wore gold jewelry or were trying to show your wealth, they’ll call you dudus,” she explains. “But today, a whole younger generation now is saying, ‘She's so dudus, like, yes, we love a dudus girl!’ That’s really what I want Dudus Girl to be: someone who supports you for being dudus instead of making you feel ashamed like I felt when I was younger.”
Anderson also actively incorporates famalao’an into her business by creating opportunities to uplift other women. For Women’s Month, she did a collaboration product with Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce featuring an exclusive makeup bag that was sold at the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce Fanachu Famalao’an event in 2024.
Caption: Dudus Girl Guam’s The Future is Famalao’an exclusive makeup bag showcased at the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce Fanachu Famalao’an event held in 2024. Photo courtesy of Celia Anderson/Dudus Girl Guam.
The product line was called “The Future is Famalao’an” and highlighted CHamoru women in male-dominated industries such as STEM, the military, and entrepreneurship.
As a businesswoman, the collaboration was very significant for Anderson. “I've always admired the Women's Chamber, and I think it's always been one of my biggest dreams to work with them somehow. So when they approached me about it, I was so excited and I really felt accomplished then,” she explained.
Caption: Celia Anderson with The Future is Famalao’an products. Photo courtesy of Celia Anderson/Dudus Girl Guam.
While she currently balances her business with her finance career, Anderson hopes to transition into full-time entrepreneurship in the future. However, she values financial stability and is taking a strategic approach to ensure both businesses are fully prepared for long-term success.
Blending Cultural Identity with Modern Trends
While their businesses have different focuses, both women are deeply committed to preserving and evolving the CHamoru culture in their own ways.
When Anderson first started Dudus Girl Guam, the brand focused on island-inspired jewelry with familiar symbols like monstera leaves and shells, which resonated with many of her customers. But as trends shifted and the demand for new designs grew, Dudus Girl Guam expanded into fashion accessories and lifestyle products that blended island aesthetics with modern sophistication.
Caption: Celia Anderson takes a photo with her Dudus Girl Guam products at Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce Fanachu Famalao’an event held in 2024. Photo courtesy of Celia Anderson/Dudus Girl Guam.
For Anderson, modernizing cultural expression also meant making personal choices about what elements to highlight. While spondylus shells have deep historical significance in CHamoru jewelry, she intentionally decided not to use them in her brand.
“That's one of the reasons why I started Dudus Girl, because I didn't want to wear spondylus or seashells on my ears all the time to represent my culture. I wanted something more modern and sophisticated to wear every day, “ she expressed. “ While my products are not exactly traditional CHamoru jewelry made of spondylus, shells and other materials used back in ancient times, a lot of my styles are still reflections of the culture.”
As for Kakas, authenticity is not about following a rigid set of traditions, but rather about sharing her own cultural experiences: “For me, how I still practice my cultural authenticity within my business is just simply sharing what is raw, what my raw cultural experience is in life and in my childhood while I was growing up within a CHamoru household.”
Caption: Tingz by T products showcased at a previous pop-up event. Photo courtesy of Talysa Kakas/Tingz by T.
Through Tingz by T, Kakas brings these personal experiences into her brand, tying the nostalgic feeling of home into her products in ways that feel both familiar and fresh. She draws inspiration from the jewelry her Nana and grandmother wore–gold-round bracelets, layered hoop earrings, and Guam seal necklaces–pieces that once felt like everyday accessories but now serve as symbols of tradition and identity.
Understanding that culture is subjective and deeply personal, Kakas emphasizes that there is no single way to define CHamoru authenticity in the jewelry industry and in general
Take Kakas’s red rice for example. “Some people put onions and some people put bacon, but it’s still red rice. For each individual, that's authentic to them. That's what they were taught in their culture. That's what their parents taught them, or what their aunties and uncles taught them, so that's authentic to them.”
To further blend authenticity with modern business trends, her social media content reflects the language and tone of her generation by incorporating CHamoru phrases, engaging in casual and relatable interactions, and infusing her personal style into the brand’s voice
Encouraging the Next Generation
As they continue to grow their businesses, both entrepreneurs hope to inspire other young CHamoru women to pursue their passions and embrace their identities.
Kakas believes the key to success is staying authentic and knowing how to maintain peace in all spaces. Being true to oneself attracts what is meant for them.
For Anderson, it is about taking that leap of faith. Under the advisement of her late professor, Dr. Karri Perez at the University of Guam during her college years, Anderson encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to take risks and not fear failure.
Their journeys demonstrate that entrepreneurship in Guam is not solely about profit, but about purpose. Through inafa’maolek and famalao’an, Kakas and Anderson, along with many others like them, are shaping businesses that reflect their personal stories. Their efforts inspire a future where CHamoru culture continues to thrive in innovative and meaningful ways.