Dancing and Decolonization (Hugua)
My third oldest child Lulai has officially started cultural dance. Twice a week, at the MTM Community Center, she dances with Siñora Max Bigler-Tainatongo and the group Guma' Kinalameten i Taotao Tåno'. She is only three years old, much younger than the rest of the dancers, and literally doesn’t know yet the meaning of the word “discipline.” As such, during practices she more often than not dances to the beat of her own drum, causing chaos and confusion, rather than following the lead of others. Lao gof ya-ña sinembåtgo. But she likes it nonetheless. For me, seeing one of my children in Chamoru cultural dance, is a beautiful moment of decolonization. For many people, they might connect decolonization to being political status change, such as Guam becoming independent or a state or a freely associated entity. Others might hear decolonization and think of it through some of the misconceptions out there of the idea. They might think of it as being, trying to go...