Ma'Poksai: Chamorros Raised in Kinship

Kinship traditions are rooted in deep cultural values and expectations for my people the Chamorros from Guahan (Guam) who poksai or nurture children in an extended family network. African Americans have an all-encompassing kin network of intergenerational families who care for their children. Native Hawaiians kinship practices or informal adoptions are referred to as hanai. African cultural groups in parts of Northern Africa also have a kinship custom of mutual support. The cultural practice of ma''poksai in Guam is analogous to kinship care in the United States Canada Africa Hawai''i New Zealand China Palau and the rest of the world. In Africa it is their tradition to place children with aunts uncles or distant cousins. The Dagomba an ethnic group in Ghana believes that children are presents from God and that it is the obligation of all family members to raise the children.