The First Chamoru Female Navigator

Every week I host the podcast Fanachu.

In the past my role was something in the background with others such as Manny Cruz, Lawrence "Siguenzama" Lizama or Albert Toves and Hannah Rebadullah taking the lead. 

Since the pandemic, I've been the primary producer and host for Fanachu, and it has been tough at times trying to put out an episode kada simåna, with so many other things constantly going on in my life.

I've been grateful for a handful of other creators who have come along to help produce content for Fanachu and give me some breathing rooms some weeks. 

Recently Monaeka Flores from Prutehi Litekyan and Independent Guåhan has been great in terms of hosting and helping organize guests related to current protest movements on Guam.

I'm excited that next year Tori Manley, a young up and coming Chamoru activist with Replenish Earth will be taking on regular episodes. 

One of the most consistent people in the past two years in terms of helping produce content is Annie Fay Camacho, a former student of mine and also my co-chair for the Media and Solidarity Committee for Independent Guåhan. 

She is currently in two different MA programs and so guaha nai biahi gof tinane', but when she is able to produce her own episodes of Fanachu they are usually much nicer looking and more in-depth than my rambling 60 minute zoom call episodes.

I found her most recent episode to be particularly powerful, as she interviewed Dr. Melissa Taitano, who is the first Chamoru woman in recorded history to be an initiated navigator or a seafarer in the traditional sense in the Pacific. 

Here is the link to where you can watch it on YouTube and below an article on Dr. Taitano from last year's Guam Daily Post.  

 

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Canoe's launch, UOG program promotes 'island wisdom'

Daily Post Staff

Aug 21, 2022

 

Representatives from the University of Guam, Matson Navigation and others turned out on Friday to celebrate the Hefaifai canoe launching ceremony in Piti.

 

During the Fañomnåkan 2022 semester, UOG established an inaugural certificate program for traditional navigation. This included purchasing a 30-foot voyaging canoe that was hand carved following specifications of Micronesian seafaring vessels to be used in the seafaring classes. The canoe was assembled by the Reimethau master navigators and their apprentices.

 

Melissa Taitano is a UOG assistant professor with the Micronesian Area Research Center and the first CHamoru woman navigator. According to Taitano, the canoe was built by master carvers out of Lamotrek, Yap.

 

Taitano explained that traditionally, there were 16 schools of navigation in Micronesia, three of which were the oldest and considered the most developed and evolved were on Guam.

She noted the connection between Guam and Lamotrek spans thousands of years.

 

“The reason why traditional navigation is still alive today is because colonial experiences and realities are different for all of our islands, but we come from the same roots and traditional navigation connects us and reconnects us and helps us to redefine community," she said. “I’m actually a navigator out of the school of Weriyeng. I was taken under the tutelage of Master Traditional Navigator Larry Raigetal about six years ago and so that’s how I’ve become a part of the community. I’m just really passionate about the work that’s being done.”

 

Weriyeng is one of the last two schools of traditional navigation found in the central Caroline Islands in Micronesia. Raigetal is an assistant professor of traditional navigation.

 

According to Taitano, UOG now offers a traditional navigation certificate program working through the Sea Grant to be able to bring traditional knowledge into the institution.

 

“I think the overall picture is really about UOG and promoting island wisdom. It’s the idea that the sustainable cultural values that are enduring and that are important to us and continue to be relevant, that those are the kind of values that we should promote, cultural values as island people," she said.

 

According to Taitano, traditional knowledge of canoe building has been closely held in the past, but with this new program comes the opportunity for more widespread knowledge of the craft.

“I think that’s why we have the traditional navigation certificate program, and I think that at least what’s been shared with me is from the grand masters who live in Guam, that they feel it’s the right time,” she said.

 

Friday’s ceremony was “the beginning of the beginning, the blessing and naming of a new canoe,” Taitano told The Guam Daily Post.

 

The event was the first of its kind on Guam.

 

Taitano noted that she was encouraged by the participation in today’s event by political leaders and business leaders who are investing in and supporting this effort to extend traditional knowledge.

 

There are plans to launch the canoe from Guam to Poluwat, a municipality of Chuuk state in the Federated States of Micronesia in January or February 2023, she told the Post.

 

Additionally, there are plans to travel to Saipan for the Flame Tree Arts Festival in April next year.

 

She expressed her appreciation for the support received from Piti Mayor Jesse Alig, UOG, Matson Navigation, Reimethau Seafaring Community and “everyone that made this possible and believes this is a good thing.”