NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

Call for Papers Amerasia Journal's latest call for papers PACIFIC LANGUAGES IN DIASPORA Guest Editors: Professor Serge Tcherkezoff (Anthropology, French Institute of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences) Professor Luafata Simanu-Klutz (Samoan Language and Literature, University of Hawai‘i, Mānoa) Dr. Akiemi Glenn (Te Taki Tokelau Community Training and Development) Publication Date: Issue planned for Spring 2017 publication. Due Date: Paper submissions (up to 5,000 words) due June 1, 2016 Change is native to the world of Epeli Hau‘ofa’s “sea of islands,” where the ocean has historically connected people and served as a thoroughfare for the flow of resources, culture, and ideas. The Pacific is home to the richest linguistic diversity on our planet and yet many of the native languages of the region are under threat and many more have been lost. As the currents of colonization, globalization, and climate change carry Pacific people far beyond their homel

I have heard some people say that colonization deprives colonized people of the ability to imagine. I might have even said this at some point over the years. There is some truth to this, but over time I've come to realize that it is not really an issue of not imagining or not knowing how to imagine, to envision a possible future. But it is more about the constricting of the colonized's imagination, of contorting and distorting it so that it will always move and evolve within a groove that matches the example of the colonizer. The vision of the future will always be filled with the shadow of the colonizer's massive presence. It will force the flow of future possibility so that it always seems to head to up towards the colonizer, that the future for the colonized isn't something that is about their freedom, their choices. But instead it is about their accepting the teleology of the colonizer, of becoming him and shaping your future to become a minor version of it. This is

It is now less than a year til Guam hosts FESTPAC or the largest cultural festival in the Pacific. I am involved in FESTPAC in a number of forms and there are some ways that we are clearly ready and on course and others where ai adai it seems like it'll take a miracle for us to make it on time.  Para i taotao ni' muna'la'la'la' yan chumochonnek mo'na i kuttura-ta (gi meggai na manera) este na dinana' i mas takhilo', i mas sagradu na tiempo. Kada kuatro na sakkan mandadana' i taotaogues i Pasifiku gi unu na isla, ya manafa'nu'i yan manapatte i kutturan-niha. Un sen dangkolu na onra este na para ta kombida taotao ginen kana trenta diferentes na isla siha magi para i tano'-ta.  For those of you who would like to receive regular updates about FESTPAC, its planning and organizing go on Facebook and LIKE the official FESTPAC page. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/guamfestpac2016 Or, each Friday the Pacific Daily News i

Some of the local news around the recent decision in Tuaua v. United States.  The decision is the expected one. Guam and the other insular territories are trapped in a maze that has been created by the United States over the past century. It would take a judge or a court that is heavily invested in justice and truly righting the wrongs of history to make a decision that didn't just reinforce the colonial power of the United States in terms of the The Insular Cases. But the tricky part about any challenge to the Insular Cases and American power in general is that even if you win, you may simply be reinforcing said American power and colonial control. If we argue that the place of the territories in relation to the United States is a maze, then even if you win a challenge you may simply be accepting your place in the maze. The problem with the Insular Cases in an international sense or in an objective sense is not that the principles of the United States were not lived up to in

On the last day of the First Stewards Climate Change Symposium those of us in attendance were treated to a custom of the Samoans, tulafale, or a high talking chief. A literal Samoan chief was in attendance and took the stage. He was followed by a shirtless man, wearing a wrap, holding in his hand a beautiful carved wooden staff. The chief himself didn't speak, but instead all the talking was done by the talking chief. This we were told is the way things are in Samoa. Talking chiefs are those who are trained in the art of storytelling and genealogy. Gifted with articulation and creativity they would be the ambassadors for the high chiefs, speaking to the people, inspiring to them and also listening to them and representing the chief in the best way possible. He shared some beautiful sentiments about everyone coming together and making important connections and fighting to protect their communities. His words were translated by a member from the Samoan delegation who had a micr

Each morning of the First Stewards symposium, members of the delegations from across the Pacific and the Western United States would gather at the main entrance to the Museum of the Native American Indian. As the sun was rising different delegations would take on the task of welcoming the day, welcoming each other, and forming spiritual and cultural bonds. These gatherings would take place before 6 am, and so it was sometimes difficult for everyone to make it. But for those of us who did, we were fortunate enough to participate in some of the most quiet, solemn and beautiful moments. The symposium had a lot of discussions, alot of exchanges of information, a lot connections based on explicit comprehension. English is the means of common communication and so we can all speak to each other and try to get each other to learn and understand. But these sunrise ceremonies were something different. At the ceremonies nothing was in English. Very little was explained in English. Each grou

Last week while teaching World History I, or history about Ancient Civilizations, we were discussing the meaning of the term history and what are the different ways we can see history as an essential and important part of our lives, but also the ways it fails us, as in what its limits or impossibilities might be. I always like to remind my students that for every reason or instance that you argue that history is important and good, you could come up with just as many reasons why it is useless or not important. Most students articulate their thoughts on history through its importance in knowing where one came from and not making the same mistakes of the past. Those who have a more critical edge to their minds often bring in anonymous bad guys, who may manipulate history and take advantage of ignorance and give people some sliver of history that serves their interests, hoping that people will follow without knowing any better. That is always a key moment in the class where people stop th

Tomorrow I'll be in Denver for the Democratic National Convention. Kulang chubasko i hinasso - ku pa'go . Ti bula na tiningo '- hu put este na klasin dinana ', ya ma'a'nao yu ' na bai hu malingu gi todu i simana . Hafa i kustumbre put mangueguentos Kongresu pat Senadora ? Kao maolek ha' na bei deka ' siha gi i tata'lo - na ya faisen " Kao sina hu interview hao ?" Pat kao nisisario na bei famaisen mosu fine'nina ? Siempre todu i mampulitikat u manggaige guihi , manggaiayudante . Siempre siha dumiside hayi i ma'gas - niha u kinentusi ya hayi u linaiseni . This is my first convention, so there are alot of things I'm uncertain about. Protocols, schedules, events, directions. Right now I'm concentrating on preparing my research and coming up a list of topics that I'd like to write on, in addition to the interviews that I plan to do. I'm also working on the interview q