FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (March 26, 2022 – Hagåtña, Guam) – Below is a statement from Speaker Therese Terlaje on behalf of the 36th Guam Legislature:
“Our island mourns the loss of Tan Floren Meno Paulino from the village of Inalåhan. Tan Floren was a war survivor and Master Weaver, recognized not only for her work in preserving this art, but also for her generosity in sharing her knowledge and passing on the tradition that she learned from her father since the age of 12.
Tan Floren was a proud Inalåhan woman, who retired from GovGuam after years of service at Inalåhan Elementary School, Inalåhan Middle School, Talo’fo’fo Elementary School, and Gef Pa’go. Having dedicated her life to preserving art and culture for many years, Tan Floren spoke of the hard work put into weaving and the patience that is required for the art. This type of wisdom can only be articulated so well by many of our manåmko’, the greatest generation who survived the atrocities of war and who truly understood the value of life, family, and culture.
Our deepest condolences go out to her children Carmen, Benny, and Florence; her grand and great-grandchildren; and her siblings Teresita Paulino and Serafin Meno. We join in your prayers during your time of sorrow and honor the life of Tan Floren with our entire community.”