421 years ago this month, Juan Pobre, a lay Franciscan brother, was passing through the Marianas on his way to the Philippines from Mexico. When his ship stopped in Rota to check to see if there were any survivors from a Spanish galleon wreck the year prior, the friar jumped into the canoe of some CHamorus who had surrounded the Spanish vessel hoping to trade. Fray Juan Pobre’s hope was to live amongst the CHamoru people and bring his religion to them.

In describing the CHamoru people, Fray Juan Pobre wrote:

“The men and women are hard workers, not lazy, and have little regard for those who do not work. While they are very young, they make their sons and daughters work and teach them to perform their tasks. Consequently, the very young know how to perform their tasks like their parents because they have been taught with great love. So great is their love for their children that it would take a long time to describe its praises.”

In all, Fray Juan Pobre stayed in the Marianas for 7 months and his story provides one of the most complete early European accounts of CHamoru life.