Chule' Este Tinestigu

A few times each year I testify publicly on Guam about something. 

Usually it is at the Guam Legislature over a bill or a resolution or as part of a hearing. 

Regardless of what the topic is, I try to do it in Chamoru, especially if I have time to prepare my written comments ahead of time, so they go into the public record. 

Chamoru is a national language for Guam, which means that it can be used regularly for public activities and public representations. 

Official documents can be in both Chamoru and English. Signage around the island can be bilingual. 

The fact that Chamoru is an official and national language of Guam is something that many indigenous groups around the world might be envious of, since it provides for a far amount of existing legitimacy and social/political power. 

You don't have to fight for recognition, since the law already accepts it.

But sadly we don't do more to build off to this. 

It could begin in simple ways, such as public signage and go from there. 

One thing that I do for my part, is to use Chamoru regularly, in official capacities and interventions, as a means of reminding myself and others that it is an official language for the island. 

Here is from one of my testimonies last year, about the creation of the Estoria-ta Commission, which has been tasked with organizing the local commemorative activities for the 500th anniversary of Ferdinand Magellan's circumnavigation of the globe. 

Since this bill was of a critical nature to Chamorus, the telling of their story, I felt strongly that I should do it in Chamoru. 

The text is below:

**************************

TINESTIGU PUT BILL 59-35 (2019)

Michael Lujan Bevacqua

mlbasquiat@hotmail.com

 

Buenas yan Håfa Adai mansenådot yan mansenådores guini gi este na gefpå’go na ha’åni, pi’ot hågu Senadora Marsh-Taitano. I na’ån-hu si Michael Lujan Bevacqua. Profesot yu’ gi Programan Inestudion Chamorro gi Unibetsedat Guåhan yan gehilo’ yu’ para I inetnon kumunidåt “Independent Guåhan.” Lao guini på’go gi me’nan‐miyu ti hu kuentusisiyi ayu siha. Tumestitigu yu’ guini på’go komo un Chamoru yan taotao Guåhan.

 

Hu sapopotte este maproponi na bill, 59-35, ni’ para u maestablesi un kumision ni’ para u giniha taimanu na para ta commemorate i 500^th anniversary put i finatton mågi si Ferdinand Magellan. 

 

Hagas manestudia yu’ put i hestorian Guåhan yan i hestorian Chamoru. Hagas mama’na’na’gue yu’ put hestorian Guåhan lokkue’ gi halom koleho yan gi halom i kumunidåt. Meggai siña hu sångan put håfa na ya-hu este. 

 

Uno na punto ni’ gof ya-hu put este na maproponi na lai esta a’annok gi i summary yan i na’ån-ña. 

 

Hagagas ha’ guaha problema gi i palabra siha ni’ ta u’usa para u deskribi este na momento gi hestorian Guåhan yan hestorian mundo. 

 

Para si Magellan ta usa i palabra taiguihi “explorer” pat “hero.” Un må’gas na taotao gui’, menhalom gi tasi sigun meggai na titige’ hestorian gi otro tåno’. Ya håfa i Chamoru, mañekle’ siha. Mansatbåhi. Manmudoru. Ti mananggokuyan. 

 

Lao på’go ta tungo’ i minagahet no? Si Magellan mismo umabak guihi na momento. Ti ha tungo’ i koriente yan puti’on siha. Diniskubre gui’ ni’ taotao-ta sa’ siha mismo manmenhalom put este na bånda gi mundo. 

 

Lao gi este na bill ta li’e’e’ un mås Chamoru na inatan para i matuge’-ña pat masangån-ña este na momento. 

 

Ha usa i a- na prefix. Reciprocal prefix gi palabra “umafana’” yan “umali’e’.” Mas sesso ta hungok este gi i palabra inafa’maolek pat manali’e’. Gof annok gi este na grammatika i kotturan Chamoru yan i inatan-ñiha put i mundo. 

 

Maolekña na un na’chilong dos taotao gi håfa ilelek-mu, enlugat di na un na’latakhilo’ uno kontra i otro. Put hemplo gi Fino’ Ingles, we might say “I saw you at the party” but in Chamoru it is more common to say, “we saw each other at the party.” Umali’e’ hit enlugat di hu li’e’ hao. 

 

Ya-hu na este na kumision para u maestablesi yan este na espiritu. Na ayu na momento gi hestoria, ti mandiniskubre hit ni’ taotao Europa. Siña ta sångan na manasodda’ hit, manali’e’ hit yan manafana’ hit. 

 

Todu i famagu’on ni’ maneskuekuela gi maseha håfa na tåno’, siempre mane’eyak put si Magellan. Ma tungo’ i na’ån-ña, guaha påtte gi lepblon hestoria ni’ mumentiona gui’, ni’ muna’annok i litråtu-ña. Guaha na biahi mamentiona iya Guåhan lokkue’, lao i na’an ha’. Hassan na mamentiona I Chamoru, yan hassanña na mamentiona i malabidå-ña annai sumugo’ gui’ guini mågi. 

 

Ilek-ña si Magellan na manladrone hit, ya esta kana kinentos såkkan manhinehekse hit ni’ enao na chatfino’. Lao sa’ håfa humuyong este na estao? Sa’ taigue i bos-ta gi todu i otro tåno’. Sa’ tåya’ titige’-ta ni’ para u fannge’ lepblon hestoria. Tåya’ fumaisen hit håfa i siniente-ta, håfa i inatån-ta? 

 

Gi fino’ Ingles hagas ma sånsangan na i manggåna gi hestoria tumutuge’ i lepblon hestoria. History is written by the victors. Hassan na matuge’ i hestoria ni’ manladrones. 

 

Para ayu na tiempo gof komprendeyon enao. Ti mampayon hit put ayu na kosas. Meggai tiningo’-ta put este na bånda gi mundo, lao ti ta gof tungo’ trabiha put i pumalu na tano’ siha. 

 

Lao på’go na tiempo ti siña ta sukne i otro taotao. Ta tungo’ i areklamenton i mundo, ta tungo’ i kakko’-ña. Ta tungo’ esta na anggen ti ta na’a’agang i bos-ta, anggen ti hita tumutuge’ i lepblo-ta siha, i otro taotao siempre pau ma tugiyi hit yan siempre pau ma kuentusiyi hit lokkue’. 

 

Anggen ya-ta na u mana’saonao i inatan-ta, i siniente-ta gi taimanu macho’gue este na anniversary, debi di ta fanestablesi kumision taiguini, ni’ siña kumuentusi otro nasion siha, ni siña plumaneha i atktibidat. 

 

Guaha ma såsangan put este na lai yan kumision, para håfa na ta fama’kumision, para håfa ta commemorate este na anniversary, maolekña na siha, i Españot manggagao dispensasion ginen hita. Siha sumåkke’ i tano’-ta ni’ banderan-ñiha yan hambienton-ñiha. Siha chumomma’ hit prumaktika meggai gi kotturå-ta. Put siha meggai na Chamoru manmatai yan meggai tiningo’ yan hinengge manmalingu. 

 

Hu konfotme este, lao anggen enao i siniente-mu, anggen enao i malago’-mu, ti nahong i siniente-mu ha’. Ti nahong na enao i malago’-mu yan un sen siente este gi korason-mu. 

 

Debi di un na’tungo’ i Españot. Sa’ bei sangåni hao, tåya’ya’ya’ tiningo’-ñiha put håyi hit guini. Ya i meggaggaiña tåya’ tiningo’-ñiha lokkue’ put håfa taimanu i mañainan-ñiha ma tråta hit gi tiempon colonisa. I mas sesso na klasen chetnot para i mancolonizers “amnesia.” 

 

Lao anggen guaha kumision taiguni siña ta sangåni siha gi gof fotmåt na manera, na estague i sinienten i taotao Guåhan, i Chamoru. Este i siniente-ta put håfa masusedi annai manmåtto mågi si Magellan yan si San Vitores yan otro. Anggen esta manafana’ gi tiempon på’go, siña ta na’klåruyi siha ni’ para hita guini, i finatton Magellan, ti silebråyon, maolekña ti ma silebra. 

 

Siña ta sangåni siha na guaguaha chetnudan esta ki på’go put i båba na bidå-ña si Magellan yan i malabidan i otro taotao Españot lokkue’, maseha påle’, sindålu pat gubetno. Lao anggen tåya’ dialogue, tåya’ lugåt taiguini, tåya’ fandiskutiyan taiguini, siempre maninana’ye ha’ ni’ colonial amnesia. Ti siña ma amte. 

 

Gi finakpo’, hu sapopotte este na bill yan i espiriton i maproponi na kumision. Hu agradesi este na chånsa para bai hu sangåni hamyo ni’ hinasso-ku siha.