NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

Since the start of the year I have been working on an article about militarization in the Marianas Islands. It is for a special edition of Micronesian Educator edited by Tiara Na'puti and Lisa Natividad. I'm excited at the prospect of writing it, but my schedule over the past year has been tough, in addition to family drama and other setbacks. I've been coming back and forth to it in my notebooks every month, but until now I haven't been able to really try to finish it. I spent Christmas Day typing up my scattered notes and drafts. The article is an attempt to talk about militarization, military increases, military strategy in a Marianas wide context, and the ways it divides, unities, takes and stimulates. One of the most interesting sections is on the CIA training that took place in Saipan from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. The facility was known as the Naval Technical Training Unit or NTTU and it trained anti-communist operatives to destabilize and sabotage r

Decolonization is the most important issue on Guam, that few people want to really talk about. I mean this in terms of average people and their relationship to it, but also political and community leaders, who may mention it and take stands on it, but still don't show a real commitment to getting us to the point of formal decolonization, or an evolved political status change. The Commission on Decolonization is the part of the Government of Guam that is supposed to help educate the island community, both Chamorros and non-Chamorros about this formal process of decolonization, which involves a political status plebiscite, or vote. Unfortunately, a number of governors in recent years have either ignored this Commission or severely underfunded it and taken resources away from it to the point where it is keyao yan kana' taisetbe. The Legislature hasn't moved things very far forward either. Even though individual senators may so strong things in support of decolonizatio

“New Perspectives on Chamorro Self-Determination” by Michael Lujan Bevacqua February 17, 2016 Guam Daily Post This Thursday, February 18 the next “Around the Latte Special Seminar Series” will be held at the University of Guam. This series of symposia is being organized by Dr. Unaisi Nabobo-Baba and myself on behalf of the UOG school of Education and UOG Chamorro Studies. In Fall Semester 2015, we held four special seminars on topics ranging from female empowerment, the Japanese occupation of Guam and the state of education on Guam. To start of the Spring 2016 Semester we have an exciting discussion titled “New Perspectives on Self-Determination in Guam.” The seminar will take place Feb. 18 from 4 – 6 pm in SBPA 129 at the University of Guam. The public is invited to attend and light refreshments will be provided. This symposium will be focused on a newly published issue of the academic journal “Micronesian Educator” which is housed in the School o

Come along! and be part of this exciting  series of event!!!! The inaugural seminar series of the School of Education and Chamorro Studies “Around the Latte Stone Series” kicks off this Thursday 15th October, 2015  at 2pm-4p in the School of Education lounge , University of Guam, Guam, USA & Northern Pacific. Topic: “War for Guam”-a documentary and a discussion by the film co-producer Mr Baltazar Aguon; With…An Introductory Comment by the 10th President of the University of Guam and Former Congressman, Dr. Robert Underwood, a traditional welcome and chant and more…. The Acting head of Chamorro Studies at Guam DOE Rufina Mendiola and her team will also be at hand to assist with the organization for the day’s event Food and drinks will be available to share… Come along!!!! Unaisi and Michael (coordinators) [Dr. Nabobo-Baba & Dr. Bevacqua]