Sharing the art of mwarmwar
Dennilynn Giramur and Mia Wong are the talented hands behind Mwar Rawr
This past weekend, a dozen people gathered around a table with ferns, flowers, and fans. Overlooking a stunning view of Hagåtña, they got to work braiding, wrapping, and pinching flowers and leaves in place. The goal was to create a traditional Micronesian head garland, a mwarmwar.
For some, this was their first time making a mwarmwar. Others had attempted before, but they wanted the help of an experienced pair of hands. The group found themselves in the accomplished company of Dennilynn Giramur and Mia Wong, the pair leading the mwarmwar workshop. Dennilynn and Mia are the hands and brains behind Mwar Rawr, a small business based in Guam that provides handmade leis and mwarmwars crafted from fresh flowers and foliage.
Across the world, during special occasions, Pacific Islanders bestow leis and mwarmwars to people as a sign of recognition and celebration. Adorning each other and making these works of floral art is a custom that’s been practiced for thousands of years. Dennilynn and Mia are following in the footsteps of countless ancestors before them who have made mwarmwars and leis to mark important occasions and, more importantly, fortify bonds among island people.
Mia is Palauan and CHamoru, and Dennilynn is Palauan. Both were raised in Guam. The pair said they started making mwarmwars in high school.
“After seeing so many graduates receive beautiful head and neck adornments,” they said, “we were inspired to create something just as meaningful for our own loved ones.”
They dove head-first into learning how to make mwarmwars, researching and spending hours refining their technique and experimenting with different styles.
It was a journey. With each mwarmwar, they learned something new. Every failed attempt gave way to a better version, and Dennilynn and Mia continued to weave and twist and plait.
“What we love most about making mwarmwars is the joy of giving them to loved ones for special occasions — graduations, birthdays, welcoming celebrations, and more. There’s something incredibly fulfilling about gifting something handmade and seeing someone proudly wear it and take photos with it means the world to us,” they told The Husk.
Their handiwork started to catch the eye of people who wanted mwarmwars made by Dennilynn and Mia.
Mia and Dennilynn then started Mwar Rawr and started selling mwarmwars and leis. Not long after that, other people wanted to know how to make mwarmwars like them. So last summer, they began offering workshops.
“There aren’t many lei makers here on Guam, and with limited pre-order slots — especially around graduation season — people often miss the chance to gift a mwarmwar,” they said. “These workshops are our way of making the tradition more accessible. The feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive, and we’ve had many requests to add more dates throughout the summer.”
With every workshop they host, Dennilynn and Mia are steadily multiplying the hands that can make mwarmwars.
It’s something they welcome.
“Graduation season is our busiest time of year — we sometimes take up to 25 orders in a single day!” they said.
The more hands to make leis and mwarmwars, the more joy to go around. It’s a win-win situation.
Mia and Dennilynn encouraged other Micronesians who aspire to sell their creations to hold on to their roots.
“To fellow Micronesians looking to manage and sell your creative work: Stay connected to your community. That connection is what fuels creativity, builds meaningful relationships, and makes the work truly enjoyable,” they advised.
Stay connected to your community. That connection is what fuels creativity, builds meaningful relationships, and makes the work truly enjoyable.
Mwar Rawr’s workshops are intimate and invaluable for newbie mwarmwar makers. Dennilynn and Mia provide all the materials needed to make a mwarmwar and are quick to help troubleshoot. Workshop participants are given the same materials, and Mia and Dennilynn encourage attendees to let their creativity lead them. The result is that despite having access to the same set of leaves and flowers and plants, each participant walks away with a mwarmwar that doesn’t look like anyone else’s, is well-made, and handcrafted. Everyone leaves with a beautiful headpiece and a deep appreciation for the art of making mwar.
“Ultimately, our mission is to help keep our island traditions alive through the art of mwarmwar and lei-giving. It’s a practice that holds deep meaning for our people, and we hope more will learn and pass it on with love,” they said.
Support Mwar Rawr
Guam residents can submit a request to purchase mwars or leis through Mwar Rawr’s Google form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9MLeO7nAeeNble3sk8aD56ivCXRVMuFpcywQ1J8s9lJj1rw/viewform?fbclid=PAQ0xDSwLEQHFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABpzoBFy2dgqAmAM14_istrM6GRxaZx2Yp9efUnauDKwlKA0inJodGbsMUszpC_aem_gInf9QvKRw5aa5SY66pDgQ. Mwar Rawr will review requests and send confirmation to requests that they are able to fulfill.
Follow Mwar Rawr on Instagram, @mwar.rawr, to stay up to date about their upcoming workshops and their latest lei and mwar creations.
This is a very well written and a very interesting story, indeed!!!