BABY IN RED

TI YAN-ÑIHA I MANGANITE I AGAGA' NA KOLOT

Bad spirits do not like the color red.

Our mañaina, since they became Catholics, valued very much the baptism of their children. The infants became children of God as soon as they were baptized, so parents had the children baptized as soon as possible. It was usual for a child born in the morning to be baptized within the day.

But, in the meantime, everyone in the family was afraid that the unbaptized baby was more vulnerable to attacks from evil spirits. The baby may get sick, or a spirit might attach itself to the baby.

It was the belief of many that these bad spirits did not like the color red. This was a folk belief, not the teaching of the religion, and many Chamorros did not hold this belief either.

But many did, and they would either dress the baby in red or had some red material around the baby, to ward off evil spirits.

AND SOME ADULTS, TOO

But apparently some adults hold this belief and believe it applies to them, also.

The other day I was at a service in Mañenggon and noticed more red blouses on women than usual. But it was a woman who made the connection for me when she voluntarily mentioned that she was wearing red so that no spirits would follow her from Mañenggon back to her home.