NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

Travis Coffman, a notable figure in Marianas media over the past few decades passed away recently. He was best known for his role in talk radio in Guam at K57. And as such, he was someone that I would interact with quite frequently. I went on his show several times to be interviewed about various topics. He was always respectful to me in public, and I would sometimes see him at anime, manga and nerd conventions on the island. But for many Chamorro activists, they saw him as someone who could frequently be anti-Chamorro in his statements on the air. I definitely heard elements of that when he would be on the the radio, and I would sometimes get text messages or emails, telling me to listen to what Travis was saying today. When I say anti-Chamorro, what it usually boiled down to was being dismissing of Chamorro issues and Chamorro concerns, but not necessarily someone who would ever say that Chamorro culture sucks. But someone who would use his position to belittle activists fighting f

The Independence for Guahan Task Force held their second monthly general meeting last week and it was a significant success, with 70 members of the community coming to listen to educational presentations and provide feedback. Here are some media reports on the meeting, both before and after. As you'll read below the educational portion of the evening focused first on security threats to Guam due to it being a strategically important unincorporated territory of the United States. Second, it contained a presentation on Singapore, the first model of an independent nation that Guam can look to in terms of inspiration as it pursues independence itself. Each monthly meeting will feature a new independent nation to analyze and compare. ****************************** Does the US military turn Guam into a regional target? By Timothy Mchenry Pacific News Center September 20, 2016 The topic was chosen after audience members at the first general assembly co

Friday, 22 April 2016 Decolonization Debate Held at Tiyan High Written by  Clynt Ridgell Pacific News Center The Governor's office and the Commission on Decolonization facilitated a student debate on decolonization. The debate was held at Tiyan High and it featured students from various GDEO high schools. The students were broken down into three groups one for free association one for independence and one for statehood.  "We may fear that we will lose our citizenship and federal programs but if you look at the Federated States of Micronesia also known as the FSM they have their own passport their own citizenship yet they can travel to anywhere in the United States without a Visa and they can still obtain their federal help,” said Fredalyn a student from Tiyan High who represented the free association group.  "With independence we will be able to have more control and finally vote for all of our leaders we can sign our own

Makpo' un otro na Inacha'igen Fino' CHamoru. Desde 2013 hu ayuyuda umotganisa este na dinanna'. Lao gi este na såkkan, ti manayuda ha'. Hu ayuda gumiha i dinanna' yan un otro na ma'estron Chamoru, si Sinot Joey Franquez. Magof hu na munhayan, sa' gof makkat yan na'yayas este na cho'cho'. Lao gaibali lokkue'. Meggai umeyak gi este na biahi. Ya bai hu kililili mo'na i leksion-hu siha gi otro sakkan para i otro na Inacha'igen. *************** Hundreds Gather at UOG for Charter Day Activities by Roselle Romanes 3/10/16 Pacific News Center Charter Day is the largest public event at the University with nearly 5,000 people visiting the campus throughout the day.    Guam - The University of Guam celebrated their 48th Charter Day today with the theme of "Triton Spirit: One University, Many Voices". True to its name, from the many voices of the University, we learned a lot from Charter

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've been involved in some form or another with the issue of indigenous fishing rights for Chamorros since 2009. I've attended dozens of meetings, worked on dozens of documents and talked to hundreds about the issue. It has been a largely frustrating endeavor, as the issue is so heavily laden with ideology, that even before you have said anything, people, often with little to no thought or information have already determined their response. What is so strange about Bill 160, is the way it seems to avoid or ignore what progress we've made on the issue of indigenous fishing rights, while creating another layer of government, which could conflict with existing layers of government resource management. I'm supposed to write up a response to Bill 160 and the discussion around it, and so I wanted to share some of the recent articles about it. ***************** Contentious public hearing for fisheries conservation legislation by Sabrina Salas Matanane KUAM November 17

The issue of Tiyan has been constant my entire conscious life, but has shifted so much over time. When I was younger it was a base one that I remember visiting several times. As I got older it became an issue of protest, the site of the most infamous protest act in modern times, the jumping of the fence by Angel Santos and others and their subsequent arrest where he spat on an officer. When I returned to Guam after living in the states for several years Tiyan had been returned to the Government of Guam and everything about it was different now. Before I left Tiyan was thought of as a beautiful place, that had the military "betde na cha'guan" luster that brightens the eyes of so many locals. Once it had been returned it began to symbolize something else, decay and incompetence of the Government of Guam. I found it interesting that the toxic chemicals in the area were put there by the US military, but people seemed to ascribe its disgusting qualities instead to the local

The issue of FAS citizens, people from the FSM primarily, is something that brings together so many divergent and divisive discourses in Guam. It is something that is not easily unpacked and not easily resolved because of the many ideological contact points, overlaps and contradictions. It is easy for some to make a blanket statement one way or another, but those voices tend to consider very little. They don't account for much of the overall nebulous ideological structure that gives meaning to this issue.  When talking about the issue of FAS citizens and their impact on Guam, so many things end up being touched upon and most people only want to admit to the relevance of one or two of those many possible discourses. We see multiculturalism giving the impression that all people are just people. We see immigrant stories, the way they play essential and often undervalued roles in sustaining economies. We see expressions of racism and expressions of anti-racism. People who shriek if