NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

  Prior to World War II, Sumay was the second largest village of Guam and because of its location near Apra Harbor, was very economically important as a hub for the island in terms of communications and trade. Because of this status, the families with ties there had a great deal of pride in their village identity and community.   The Trans-Pacific Cable Company, which laid the first telegraph wire across the Pacific, set up its station in the village in 1903. Sumay was also the landing site for the China Clipper from Pan American Airways, which built a hotel there in 1935.    Most of the first bombs that fell on Guam in the Japanese attack on the island on December 8th, 1941 were dropped on Sumay because of its strategic importance. The US Marine Barracks and tanks from Standard Oil were both hit. Within days after the Japanese invasion, all residents were evicted.    The bombardment and subsequent re-invasion of the island by US forces in July 1944 almost ...

 Ai mohon na mås gailugåt yu' yan mås gaifuetsa yu'! Fihu hiningongok-hu ginen otro taotao put i mineggai hu cho'cho'gue yan mampos tinanane' yu'. Ya achokka' hu tungo' na guaha minagahet gi håfa ilek-ñiha, gi minagåhet todu tiempo, hu siesiente na ti nanahong i bidadå-hu. Guaha mås gi este na bånda, gi ayu na bånda, gi este na påtte, put este na prublema, todu tiempo guaha mås siña hu cho'gue. Un maolek na hemplo put este, este na blog.  Gi i ma'pos na simåna, sinangåni yu' nu dos na taotao na hagagas ininspired siha nu este na blog. Ma taitaitai, ma a'atan. Gof maolek na resource este na blog put i litråtu siha, i commentary, i Fino' Chamoru na tinige'.  Hu agradesi este na sinangån-ñiha, nina'magof yu', sa' guaha na biahi pine'lolo-ku na esta manmaleffa todu put este na blog.  Sa' gi minagåhet, mås ki sesso Guahu lokkue' maleleffa yu' put este na blog.  Put enao na råson, na chini'ut lokkue' ...

When the protest group Nasion Chamoru first emerged decades ago, it created a conflict in the minds of people on Guam. On the one hand you had a group of people who were an emphatically embodying “Chamoru” things.  They were speaking Chamoru, fighting for Chamoru lands and their return, protecting Chamoru rights, and even sometimes sported ancient Chamoru jewelry. But at the same time, for many people, the group seemed to be against everything Chamorus supposedly represented.   Chamorus are supposed to be respectful, gairespetu yan gaimamhlao, do not speak out and politely submit to any form of authority. In the way Nasion Chamoru did not shy away from open defiance and critique of the local and federal governments, they seemed so taimamahlao or tairespetu (without shame or respect). Every culture has their conservative and progressive elements, and an ideological fight always takes place over what is considered to be acceptable and unacceptable. For some, open...