Taotao Haya'

Last year local businessman Adrian Cruz proposed the creation of a Chamorro newspaper. It would feature articles and columns in the Chamorro language and focus on issues affecting Chamorros. I and a few others submitted articles to support this newspaper. I was happy to learn earlier this year that Adrian had gotten enough advertising and support to print the first issue. 

I wrote a story on the reunification of the Marianas, providing some background on how Guam was taken by the United States, but the other islands in the Marianas in Micronesia were not. My column appeared on the editorial page beside columns by Mario Borja who is heading the Chamorro Sakman project in San Diego and the infamous Robert Underwood, who wrote on the fluidity of Chamorro culture and the need to not only honor our ancient ancestors. Just the intellectual layout of the three columns was pretty cool to look at.

Another issue is coming out soon. I'm contributing a piece in Chamorro this time on the threat from North Korea and how Guam should respond to it. My brother Jack who created an editorial comic for my last column is making one again. Because my piece will be about the strategic importance of Guam and how we should learn to evaluate our place in the world, for ourselves rather than accept the place that America gives us, his piece is titled "Life at the Tip of the Spear."

I'm including below my article that I submitted in the previous issue titled "Sa' Hafa na Mansiparao i Islas Marianas?" or "Why were the Marianas Islands separated?"

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Sa’ Hafa na Mansiparao i Islas Marianas?

Taotao Håya’

Michael Lujan Bevacqua, Ph.D. 

2013

Para este na finaisen, debi di ta hasso i estorian i islå-ta siha yan i bali-ña este na lugåt para i otro na mas dångkolu na nasion siha. Gi i mina’diesinuebi na century, gumof dångkolu i intres i kometsiante yan i manakhilo’ na Amerikånu siha. Ma li’e’ i nuebu na nasion siha giya Latin America yan i manggof dångkolu na nasion siha giya Asia, ya puru ha’ metkao para u ma”plunder” i lini’e’-ñiha. Fine’nina ma fuetsa i Chapones para u babåyi i Amerikånu siha ni’ metkao-ña. Pues. Ma cho’gue i parehu giya i tano’ Chinu. Parehu i minalago’-ñiha yan hinasson-ñiha giya i Islas Filipinas. Manggaito’la i kometsiante siempre nai ma li’e’ i meggai na tåno’  siha, nai siña mangguadok mineråt, meggai na taotao lokkue’ ni’ para u facho’cho’ baråtu yan para u fåhan lokkue’ fina’tinas Amerikånu siha.

Annai matutuhun i Geran Espanot yan Amerikånu esta i US mandisidi na i PI para u masagåyi. Sa’ ginnen ayu na tåno’ manhihot todu i otro metkaon Asia siha. Lao gi guihi na tiempo, tåya’ båtkon aire, båtko ha’. Gof umachago’ i US yan i PI. Ya i batko siha ma u’usa katbon gi i makinan-ñiha. Ti siña ma hago’ i tano’ Asia ginnen i US gi un chinagi. Pues achokka’ i US gof malago’ gui’ mama’tinas salåpe’ giya Asia, taimånu na siña ha na’siña i batko-ña siha humago’? Debi di i US ha chule’ i islas siha gi halom i Tasin Pasifiku. Esta masåkke’ iya Hawai’i gi 1893, pues esta mataka’ låmita. Iya Guahan i mas dångkolu na isla gi entre i Islas Marianas yan Micronesia, yan humuyongña i bahinå-ña siha (ko’lo’lo’ña iya Apra), i mas dångkolu lokkue’. Yanggen chinile’ Guahan ni’ i US, esta kana’ kabåles i chalan Amerikånu asta Asia.

Pues gi i geran Españot yan Amerikånu, måtto i opportunidåt i US para u na’funhåyan este na chålan. Gi i kingautu-ña Si Henry Glass para i Islas i Filipinas, sumugo’ nå’ya gui’ giya Guahan. Sesso mafana’ån este na gera giya Guahan, i “taihagga’” na gera, sa’ ni’ unu matai gi i chinile’. Este un gof dångkolu na essiten gi i estorian Guahan. Annai i US ma hatme Guahan, i Españot ni’ mañasåga’ guini, ti ma tungo’ na guaha gera. Ya achokka’ i US ha kañon Fort Santa Cruz giya Apra, pine’lon-ñiha i Españot na ayu na pinaki un “hafa adai” ginnen i Amerikånu siha. Sa’ esta dos meses maloffan desde i uttimo na batko ni’ pumuetto giya Guahan, ti ma tungo’ tribiha na esta manggegera i dos nasion-ñiha. Pues machule’ Guahan gi 1898, ya desde ayu iyo-ña colony hit.

Kao i US ha atan i otro islas gi i Kadenan Marianas? Hunggan, buente ha atanñaihon, lao mungga gui’ chumule’ i tetehnan na islas siha. I hinasson yan i minalago’ i US gi guihi na tiempo, annai ha atan i Marianas, ti put tåno’ yan guinaha, sa’ gi este na bånda manaibali islas. Tåya’ oru, tåya’ mineråt, tåya’ goma, tåya’ gaibåli para i ekonomian i US. I bali-ña i lugåt-ña gi i tasi yan i hinihot-ña nu Asia. I nisisitan i US un na’chetton, ya para ayu na punto, nahong iya Guahan ha’. Ti manguailåyi i otro islas siha.

Pues despues di i Geran Españot yan Amerikånu, finahan iya Guahan ha’ ni’ i US. Ti ha fåhan i otro islas siha, ya humuyongña manmafåhan siha ni’ Alemania. Gi i Geran Mundo Unu, i Chapones ha hatme i tano’ Alemania giya i Tasi Pasifiku yan giya Asia, ya ha chule’ i islas Marianas. Ha gubietno i islas esta ki i Geran Mundo Dos, ya ginnen este na islas ha hatme Guahan gi 1941. Gi i Geran Mundo Dos, i US ha chule’ tåtte’ Guahan yan ha hatme yan chule’ lokkue’ i otro islas Marianas siha.

Gi i finakpo’ i gera, manunu i islas Marianas siha gi pappa’ i atoridåt i US, lao ti mismo mandåña’ siha komo “unified.”

I interes i otro muna’sahnge hit. Ma diside na este na isla gaibåli, ayu otro na islas siha manaibali. I chalån-ta asta på’go’ na momento sen na’triste yan matåhlek. I interes i sanhiyong na nasion siha muna’taiguini. Manafana’ i Chamorro siha ginnen Guahan yan i Sankattan na Marianas gi i Geran Mundo Dos. Manakontra siha, sa’ i “colonizers” umakontra. Manafa’enimigu ya achokka’ esta meggai años maloffan desde ayu na  homhom na tiempo, manggaiggaige ha’ i paladan siha.

Anggen ta kilili mo’na este na ideha put agondumåña’, ya na’magåhet i guinifen-ña, debi di ta na’siguru na i mina’kalamten hit put Hita, put i taotao-ta yan i probechå-ta.