NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

Pagat, a play written by Victoria Leon Guerrero and myself, directed by Michelle Blas, with dances by Vince Reyes has completed its run at UOG. I estimate close to 1000 people watched it and due to seating limitations hundreds were turned away for the last three shows. It was an amazing experience, ya gi minagahet ti ha na'malululok yu' i palabras-hu siha pa'go. Este na sinienten minalulok yan minagof sin palabras pa'go. Lao hu gogosa gui' sinembatgo. I will be posting more about the Pagat writing, watching and discussing experience I'm sure. Si Yu'us Ma'ase nu todu nu' muna'posible este na dinana'. Guaha gi i actors yan i crew ma fa'na'an este i bidan-mami ni' "kinalamten." Ya-hu ayu para este i che'cho'-mami. Sa' ti mismo unu na sahnge na chine'gue este, este uma'ayao ginnen meggai ni' manma'pos yan ha kekechalani mo'na meggai ni' manggaige pa'go.

Last year local businessman Adrian Cruz proposed the creation of a Chamorro newspaper. It would feature articles and columns in the Chamorro language and focus on issues affecting Chamorros. I and a few others submitted articles to support this newspaper. I was happy to learn earlier this year that Adrian had gotten enough advertising and support to print the first issue.  I wrote a story on the reunification of the Marianas, providing some background on how Guam was taken by the United States, but the other islands in the Marianas in Micronesia were not. My column appeared on the editorial page beside columns by Mario Borja who is heading the Chamorro Sakman project in San Diego and the infamous Robert Underwood, who wrote on the fluidity of Chamorro culture and the need to not only honor our ancient ancestors. Just the intellectual layout of the three columns was pretty cool to look at. Another issue is coming out soon. I'm contributing a piece in Cham