NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

I islå-ta siha giya Marianas i fine’nana entre todu i islas Pasifuku ni’ masagåyi. I manmofo’na na mangguelo-ta mantekngo’ put båtko yan i tasi ya maasusuma na manmanaliligao nuebu na lugåt ni’ para u ma sagåyi anai manmåtto mågi.   Annai ma tutuhon i mangguelo-ta manmañaga guini, ma usa todu klåsen rikesa gI isla para u ma få’tinas i ramientan-ñiha para i gualo’ yan peska, yan lokkue’ ma få’tinas åtmas siha para u maprutehi i guinahan-ñiha.   Guihi na tiempo, duru machalapon siha gi todu isla ya maestablisa songsong siha giya interu Marianas.   Yanggen guaha ira komu påkyo pat tiempon fañomak’an guaha na ma dingu i lugåt-ñiha para otro na isla para nengkanno' yan liheng. Mit años tåtte guaha matulaika gi hagas payon-ta, i hinalom fama’åyan yan i acho’ latte.   Uniku i gima’latte giya Marianas tiot guihi na tiempo annai guaha dångkolo na tinilaika yan hinanao taotao.   I latte un simbilon i menhalom-ta. Komo i haligi para gima’ mangguelo-ta, ha repr...

 If anyone knows how I can contact Rodrigue Levesque, please let me know.  He researched, translated and published the History of Micronesia series, which is an amazing set of primary source documents dealing with Micronesia. It is a collection of information that has yet to be fully incorporated into how we tell the history of our islands.  The books, when they were published were gof guaguan, very expensive, at least $100 each. But they were massive. When I was a graduate student at UOG, spending time at the University of Guam Micronesian Area Research Center, I loved reading through the lepblon Levesque siha.  They featured completely different perspectives from the traditional or canonical history of the Marianas, but using not just the official histories or accounts of events, but also letters by priests, government officials, soldiers and sailors, that he was able to collect in his research.  A few years ago Levesque finished his History of Micronesia seri...

  The Yokoi Museum is closing in Japan, created in the house of the Japanese straggler following his death has closed down. It was opened by Yokoi's widow in 2006, but closed in 2020 due to the pandemic. Mihoko, Yokoi's widow passed away during the pandemic and the family has been unable to find support from the prefecture or city to keep it open and so has chosen to close it.  In the Guam Museum, we have several items from Yokoi and 28 years hiding in Guam's jungles. But for me personally, I would love to obtain items from the collection of his museum in Japan, even though many of the items, at least from the reporting, seem to be recreations once he was back in Japan.     ************************ Memorial museum for ex-Japanese soldier who lived for 28 yrs in Guam's jungle closes  September 6, 2022 (Mainichi Japan) NAGOYA -- The memorial museum here for the late Shoichi Yokoi, a former Japanese soldier who lived in the mountains of Guam for 28 years wit...

In recent years my research and scholarly work has become heavily focused on Chamoru music.  Part of this stems from the fact that my own journey in starting to learn the Chamoru language, more than 20 years ago, was heavily aided by Chamoru music, listening to songs and trying to translate songs with my grandmother.  Party of it also stems from the fact that when you go through Guam's history, even from the perspective of outsiders, music was an essential part of life, and one of the most important ways that Chamorus expressed themselves. This is something that the Spanish smartly focused on in their colonization of the Chamoru people in the 17th century. Using Chamoru and focusing on teaching the new religion through songs. Here is an account from Le Gobien in 1700, At first the natives shyly held back upon the arrival of the ships and did not want to come aboard. San Vitores, however, encouraged them to sing the litany of the Virgin and soon they approached...

 This coming week's episode of Fanachu! will feature an interview with Saina Donald Mendiola, a yo'åmti and CNMI Cultural Icon. I'm excited about this episode, where I'll get to learn more about Saina Donald's journey to becoming a healer, and also the recent recognition he has received in both Guam and the CNMI for his work in the community and in schools. Below is an article from June in the CNMI. ******************** Senate resolution honors traditional healer, educator  by K-Andrea Evarose Limol Jun 21, 2022 Updated Jun 21, 2022 Marianas Variety THE Senate on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution honoring traditional healer and educator Donald Benavente Mendiola. Authored by Sen. Edith Deleon Guerrero, S.R. 22-24 acknowledges and honors Mendiola for his long-lasting contributions to the CNMI. Mendiola has been practicing Chamorro medicine for around 47 years. He was 8 when he began navigating the practice of being a “suruhuånu” or “yo’åmti” under his ...