NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

My personal metric for determining candidates who get my vote boils down to these three things: 1. Do they speak Chamorro? 2. Are they supportive of Chamorro language, culture and rights? 3. Do they support decolonization and are they open to considering independence as a political status for Guam? This election there are fewer Chamorro speakers than ever, especially at the senatorial level. But that's why I was grateful that so many candidates ( such as those in these images) were willing to participate in a Chamorro language forum where they used the Chamorro language in their responses even if it was difficult for them. I've also been impressed with the number of candidates who are expressing an openness to decolonization and the possibilities of Guam becoming independent. Biba Ha'anen Botasion! Biba Chamorro! Biba Guåhan!

Articles on the current clash between UOG and Adelup, Calvo and Underwood. ****************** Calvo, Underwood clash over UOG case by John O'Connor Guam Daily Post 1/23/16 In light of Gov. Eddie Calvo’s claims that University of Guam leadership stood up for indicted professor Michael Ehlert, UOG President Robert Underwood held a press conference yesterday describing these statements as “incomplete and misinformed.” In the press conference, Underwood addressed several concerns outlined in a statement released by the governor. Namely, that two women involved in a case against Ehlert were mistreated and that the university acted in his favor. “In the news and in email I’ve seen, UOG leadership has stood up for the alleged predator … and hasn’t said a thing about the victims,” Calvo said. “Silence is wrong. Institutionalized silence should be criminal.” Underwood said actions against Ehlert were made based on information available at the time. In November 20...

I'm on Guam now, but I'm not registered to vote on Guam ( lao giya California). There's an election coming up and this is the first time I've been on island for one since I voted for Robert Underwood and Tom Ada in 2002 (lao ti manggana siha). I've been following the campaigns here closely, and even last week gave out different awards last week for Guam's politicians and their roadside signs. The battle over Proposition A has been hard not to follow since each Pacific Daily News edition for the past week is completely full of ads both for and against, which sometimes featuring local political celebrities. I had hope to write something about Prop A before the election, but with a dissertation to write, and classes that I'm teaching next week to prepare for, I don't have much time to blog ( ai na'triste!). I guess you'll have to settle for this video that I took of a big Prop A rally held last week at Chief Kephua circle in Hagatna. The thing I lea...

From the politics of Guam and its legislature, to the politics of Executive vs. Legislative power, and onto the politics of the most exciting American Presidential race in years... Robert Underwood once said to me that on Guam in times past, the mas ya-niha na pastime was "politics" and the "political season." Although I was always a great follower of politics on Guam when I was living there, prior to coming out to the states for school, I've never felt so much of the excitement and tension as I do this year. Guaha linikidu gi este na sakkan yan este na botashon Amerikanu. Buente ti para Guahan (sa' cocolony ha' hit), lao para i US, hunggan sina u matulaika bula gi i hinasson Amerikanu. I'm in the middle of a roundtable discussion of all of us grad students who received the Cal Cultures Summer Research Fellowship last year. The presentations are very diverse and interesting, which is why I shouldn't be typing on my computer right now. Despensa yu...

I fine'nina na biahi na bumota yu', hu bota Si Unda'ut giya Guahan gi 2002. Hunggan, mismo tihu-hu Si Robert Underwood, lao ti put este ha' na hu bota gui'. Hu hongge gi ayu na tiempo na Guiya i mas maolek na taotao para u ma'gasi Guahan. Pi'ot sa' iyo-na "competition" Si Felix Camacho . Ai dimilas, sa' ti manggana' i gayu-hu, ya mailihi Si Camacho. Achokka' sen makkat este na botasion 2002 para i korason-hu, komprendeyon este na fina'pos. Nuebu yan fresko Si Felis, ya kulang taya' matungo' put Guiya, fuera di estaba maga'lahi i tata-na. Pues ti mappot para u ma hasso i taotao na "taiisao" gui' yan "harmless" lokkue. Kulang pumarehu gui' yan Si George W. Bush gi este na "harmlessness." I botasion 2006, ayu ti hu komprende. Ti gof maolek na maga'lahi Si Felis. Ti malate', ti kapas, pues taimanu na i taotao Guahan, pau ma ilihi gui' ta'lo!!?? Sigi ha' hu hongge ...

Since the political season is starting in Guam, I thought I'd write about politics for the next few days. Last week the Camacho/Cruz camp started advertising on website http://www.peoplefromguam.com and so I've been seriously thinking about the upcoming election and how we can see so many of the things wrong with Guam at play. I figure today I'll give a background on stuff and then later write specifically about the campaign that Camacho ran in 2002 and why he has a good shot at winning again, much to the detriment of most that is good and sacred on Guam. Few people know this but when I was in the Micronesian Studies Program at the University of Guam in 2002 and searching for a thesis topic, my first inclination was to do research on the 2002 gubernatorial campaigns. I had attended more than a dozen fundraisers for Underwood with family members and friends, partially because he is my relative, but also because I felt that he was the best candidate for the job. I have never...