NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

Chamorro Concerts coming up in San Diego (Oct. 8) and Las Vegas (October 16). Head to http://www.guamgifts.com for more info or to purchase tickets.

For all you anime fans out there, I've just learned an interesting piece of info about one of Japan's premiere anime films, Ghost in the Shell. Have you ever noticed how realistic the bullet impacts and holes look in the film? The creators of the film apparently did research in Guam on firearms and what it looks like when bullets hit certain substances, wood, stone, metal. If you watch the DVD of the film which includes a documentary on the technology and the process behind the film, they'll show several seconds of footage of the crew firing guns at targets on the red dirt on Guam. "Taimanu un tungo'? Takfiha ha'?" "Munangon i ghost-hu."

Gi i ma'pos-na simana, umayute' ham yan i nobia-hu, pues guaha nai na kalang chatsaga'. Magof hu sa' ti gof atdet i inadespattan-mami, ya sigi ha' umaga'chong ham. Lao mamakkat ha'. Pues yanggen ti sesso hu na'halom post guini, despensa yu'... Lao sigun i tihu-hu, i mas maolek na amot nu este na piniti, nuebu na guinaiya. Lao bai nangga na'ya antes di bai hu fanaligao ta'lo nobia. Lao siempre gi tiempo an lamagom bai hu fanaligao ta'lo.

Gi i mamamailla na mes, para u guaha Forum para i manmalalagu para ofisinan pulitikat gi fino' Chamorro. Hu tugiyi Si Sinora Rosa Salas Palomo yan Si Sinot Pedro Onedera dos na finaisen, para i manmalalagu, estegue unu ginnen i dos. "Antes di I gera, manhalom magi I Amerikanu siha, ya ma fa’tinas eskuela guini, hinangain-niha para u na’apaka yan civilize I Chamorro siha. Gi este na eskuela siha, ti ma fa’na’gue I famagu’on put I eriyan-niha, island-niha pat kutturan-niha. Enlugat di ayu, ma na’eyak I Chamorro siha put I estorian US, I ketturan US yan I lenguahin US. Achokka’ sina ta konfotme todu pa’go na mampos baba ayu, guaha annok an un atan I sisteman eskuela pa’go na ti meggai matulaika desde ayu na tiempon colonial. Kana’ pupuru ha’ colonial I curriculum pa’go, achokka’ didide’ matulaika. Hunggan pa’go mafa’na’na’gue fino’ Chamorro gi I eskuela siha, lao sigi ha’ mane’eyak I famagu’on Guahan put I tano’ US enlugat di I tano’ Guahan. Sigun I hagas na kongresu Si Robert...

Letter I just wrote to the PDN with regards to the draft. Its a little choppy because I had a word limit. The situation in Iraq is getting worse. Americans are dying at an increased rate, 1,048 dead as I’m writing this, 909 since G.I. George Bush said “Mission Accomplished.” More and more Iraqis are dying, tens of thousands over the last year. Each time a missile misses its target, or a bullet is fired into another innocent victim out of fear, more anger is created, fueling more violence against America’s illegal occupation. Faced with this quagmire and with both Democratic and Republican Senators making regular comparisons to Vietnam, the Bush administration has finally been forced to admit to they may have actually made mistakes about planning for peace in Iraq. How does the administration plan to solve the Iraq debacle? Other then vague troop shifting plans and building at least 12 military bases in Iraq, there are whispers, memos and appropriations in th...

I just googled "Chamoru" and "blog" today and 409 hits showed up. Guess what most of them were? They weren't Chamorus with blogs, instead they were blogs which had lists of how to say "I love you" in all the languages on the planet. In case you're wondering why I didn't google "Chamorro" and "blog" its because there are way too many people out there with the last name Chamorro, or who love Charissa Chamorro, or who want to discuss Edgar or Violeta Chamorro.

In my board the other day, one of the members refered to Joe Murphy's columns as "papet etgue." Para hamyo ni' ti en hilat kumomprende fino' Chamorro, kumekeilek-na "toliet paper." The ideas of Joe Murphy, no matter how kaduku, kalakas pat taibali have been given so much weight and value on Guam, because of the position he holds on the editorial page of the Pacific Daily News. We need to start a petition or a drive to get rid of Murphy and his bihu papet etgue. He has taken up that highly coveted space for too long, and dictated too much with his often useless, more times pointless and usually dangerous ramblings. I was reading his most recent papet etgue' yan lana, I've read that piece several times already, over the past few decades. He just re-writes it, over and over, inserting new details. Adding a delegate here, elected governorship there, small changes like internet, hotels in Tumon, tourism everywhere. Joe Murphy, as well as the pap...

Mananges hit an kumate i paluma, lao taya' tumanges an humagga' i guihan. Ai manuette siha ni' oppan, ni' gaibosa (voice). Gof fayi este na sinangan, ya hu hahasso na guse'na bai hu fa'poem este yan na'chetton gui' gi i sanme'na-na i thesis-hu. Sa' achokka' guaha na oppan hita ni' Chamorro, bula biahi lokkue nai manaibosa, pot hemplo gi i UN, giya i Kongresun US, and otro na lugat.

Mas put kao sina' guaha draft ta'lo... Hidden Agenda: A National Draft in the Future? by Howard Dean A key issue for young Americans and their families to consider as they prepare to cast their votes in the upcoming presidential election is the real likelihood of a military draft being reinstated if President Bush is re-elected. President Bush should tell us now whether he supports a military draft. Here is the evidence that makes a draft likely: The U.S. Army has acknowledged that they are stretched thin and that finding new recruits is challenging. They recently placed 300 new recruiters in the field. Bonuses for new recruits to the Army have risen by 67 percent to a maximum of $10,000 and $15,000 for hard-to-fill specialties. The extended tours of duty have made service less attractive for both the regular armed forces, and particularly for the National Guard and Reserves. To meet this year's quota for enlistees, the Army has sped up the induction of "del...

For months there has been hints in the air, small traces here and there which indicated that the mandatory draft might be returning. When Bush was trouncing and shelling recalcitrant, freedom loving and wanting Iraqis into body parts sizzling on the sands of their own land with regular frequency and ease, then these hints were easily dismissed. A report from the DOD, a memo here or there, cryptic statements by Colin Powell, it was all easily denied, and people were easily convinced it was nothing. In my zine we reported months ago that a Draft would likely be re-instituted, we got a lot of emails saying we were nuts, usually from people in the military at present, or retired. With each passing day however, Iraq becomes more and more of the quagmire that neo-cons fear, which may create a long dragged out war, which will soon sap and steal the resolve and support of the American people. Cheney and Bush have both noted that there are at least 50 countries which they would like to ...

Someone needs to write an article like this for Guam, because Guam and Okinawa share similar dangers and pressures. The U.S. forces on Guam are endangering the Chamorro people and others, but the media refuses to even consider this aspect of their presence. According to Lee Weber, Joe Murphy and other haole elites, the military is the only reason Guam is habitable. The military does alot more than liberate people and provide cheap gasoline, it is time we start talking about these things, or else find our water lens completely tainted or the island full of shades of people as a nuclear cloud hovers over our island, taking the last traces of Chamorro culture with it. U.S. forces on Okinawa endangering the people By Kozue Uehara On Aug. 13, a transportation helicopter, a CH-53-D Sea Stallion belonging to U.S. Marines based on O'ahu, crashed on Okinawan International University in Ginowan city. The helicopter exploded and filled the scene with smoke. The staff of the univ...

Para hamyo ni' mansusedi humungok dandan Mariachi, sina en hingok esta i kanta, Malaguena Salerosa. Gof ya-hu este na kanta, ya achokka' bula biahi hu gacha gui' didide', i fine'nina na biahi nai hu gof ekungok gui' gi i kachido "Kill Bill mina'dos." Nai hu hungok ayu, hinasso-ku. "Hey, siempre gos maolek este na kanta, para bei pula gi fino' Chamorro." Pues esta hu tutuhon, ya minaolek'ek'ek'ek. I erihinat na kanta put un kakanta, ya ha kantatayi un chika, na gof ya-na chimiku i labios-na, ya sigi ha' ha langeslanges gui' put i minalago'-na (i lahi) yan i pinika-na (i palao'an). Lao i fina'tinas-hu mismo put i estoria-na i gof gof gof tatan bihu-hu (great great great grandfather) ni' matto giya Guahan gi i 1800's ginnen Mexico. Matto gui' para u fa'cho'cho para i Maga'lahi (espanot) giya Hagatna, gi i kisina-na. Gi i tiempo-na guini, mangguaiya'guan gui' ni' un p...

In another one of President Bush's stirring speeches before a carefully selected and programmed audience, he once again made an complete moron out of himself. After being asked by an attentive and oddly informed person from the audience about the draft, the president responded saying don't worry, just trust us. Here's the text: Plant in the audience: Mr. President, if the war on terrorism continues, do you feel that there will be a need for the draft? And do you want to start the draft again? Pre-programmed president who has forgotten his cue card: Yes, first of all, the war on terror will continue. It's going to take awhile. And, no, we don't need a draft. What we need to do is -- don't worry about it. What we need to do is to make sure our troops are well-paid, and well-housed, and well-equipped. Lana umbe, kao un hulat humongge na bula na Chamorro yan otro na taotao pau bota este na brinede? Fihu ngoknok i kuentos-na Si Bush, sina hu kasse gui' e...

Si Khruschev (hagas maga'lahi Russia) sumangan este, nai umafulo' i US yan i USSR put i pinakin nuklear giya Cuba gi 1962. Achokka' taotao Russia este (ya sigun i US dipotsi i enimigu-ta siha), mungga maduda i minagahet gi i sinangan-na. Si Khruschev ha kattayi Si John F. Kennedy yan i tiguang-na ni' este: We and you out not to pull on the ends of a rope which you have tied the knots of war. Because the more the two of us pull, the tighter the knot will be tied. And then it will be neccessary to cut that knot. And what that would mean is not for me to explain to you. I have participated in two wars and know that war ends when it has rolled through cities and villages everywhere sowing death and destruction. For such is the logic of war. If people do not display wisdom, they will clash like blind moles and then mutual annihilation will commence. Adahi todus hamyo, sa' pau fatto este na dimilas yanggen ti ta tutuhun "demilitarizing" i hinasso-ta yan...

Our message board has had the following thread burning up for the past couple days. It started with a simple question as to whether or not Chamorro culture can be saved. Since then its brought in elements of hip hop, the life and family of Clotilde Gould and the making of Chamorro t-shirts. Here's the thread: http://www.aimoo.com/forum/postview.cfm?id=543197&CategoryID=265244&startcat=1&ThreadID=1681991 And here's the link to the message board: http://messageboard543197.aimoo.com

The Office of Insular Affairs, a branch of the Federal Agency in charge of colonial citizens, indians and the birds and the bees is sponsoring a conference to showcase the different economic benefits and advantages in investing in the American colonies. The conference will take place in Los Angeles the 23rd and 24th of September at the Los Angeles Marriott Downtown333 S. Figueroa Street Los Angeles, CA 90071. Registration is free. the website for the conference is http://www.businessopportunitiesconference.com The bulk of Guam's economy has operated under a soft-neo-liberal framework in which outside investors have traditionally been given tax breaks and incentives in order to invest and develop the island, in exchange for poorly waged, non-unionized labor. The government of Guam now sits in perpetual economic dissaray, because when things were insanely good, this arrangement could be afforded, but now that things are not so good, the cost of living continues to rise, whi...

Calling me or any other Chamorro activists on Guam "leftists" means to suffer from a lack of imagination. We situate ourselves as indigenous first, which means those labels of left and right don't apply. I'm pointing this out because some rabid right wing poster invaded my blog today and posted some mindless comments. Please refrain from categorizing my arguments or positions as being "way on the left" because that is just a pathetic way of dimishing them and controlling them. If you want to have a serious clash or conversation here, please break out of that binary, black/white mindset. Only then can we begin to discuss this issues for reals, and not just resort to Hannity v. Colmes, Rush Windbag style namecalling nonsense.

By Monique Hudgens, 11 Years Old, Agana Heights, written 1989 If you would drive around Guam. what would you see? You would mostly see hotels, shopping centers, buildings, motels, big buildings, tourist sites and many other things. If you think about it some of these things don't even benefit the people of Guam. The people of Guam shouldn't sell their land or Guam will have over 200 hotels. In the Bible is says, "Do not sell you land because you may want it back." In a few more years Guam will look more like a hotel paradise than a paradise of beauty. Do you want an island of beauty, paradise and nature or an island of big bulldozers hurting our island's soil for some money-making hotel? The answer is "no!" Don't sell your land. It's worth a thousand words. It's your choice, decision and island. Be wise. Enough is enough! We waited too long! The push must come to a shove! Basta ilek-hu ahe'! If you love your island than say ...

Check out http://www.chamorro.com, they've got some nice photos, and some information on the possible strip mining there.

The possibility of strip mining taking place on Pagan is something we should all be concerned about. Multi-national, international and national corporations are slowly invading our lives, and because of the way the media represents their presence, or even because of the way we learn economics and life should be from our colonial schooling we think its fine, or dipotsi ha'. The business leaders of Guam and the CNMI are all in a hurry to give away everything our islands contain to outside investors and corporations. Whether it be a beautiful island such as Pagan, or Guam's water, or the labor of individuals for starvation wages, or even our hopes and dreams, everything is up for sale at Dededo flea market prices to anyone willing to hoflak i damot i manakhilo' guini pat promise that their interventions will increase military presence on Guam. Life in our islands will become unsustainable soon, and there are many reasons why. The cost of living if our utilitized and bas...