NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

When the Solorzano skull was brought to Guam there were several events held to discuss the meaning of the skull and also the legacy of the violent time during which the priest Solorzano was killed in fighting between the Spanish and Chamorros. The event that I helped organize at UOG was pretty well attended, with more than 150 people there on a Saturday morning. The discussion never got too heated, with the biggest conflict being over the statement made by Father Fran Hezel that the Chamorro-Spanish Wars was a result of cultural misunderstandings. Religion wasn't touched on much, despite the fact that religion was at the core of the history involved. The Spanish priests were assaulting the religion of Ancient Chamorros. They were forcing them to give up their religion and take a new one. Solorzano himself, as a priest was driven to go into places where he would put himself at risk in the name of his religion and in hopes of dying in the name of his God. But very few people mad

"I Ilun Pale'" Michael Lujan Bevacqua Marianas Variety 12/3114 This week, a very intriguing, almost ironic historical twist will be visiting Guam, with the arrival of the skull of Påle’ Manuel Solorzano, a Jesuit priest who was killed by Chamorros in 1684 during the period when some Chamorros were still resisting the Catholic intrusion into their lives. I say ironic for many reasons, but chiefly among them is the fact that the preserving of this skull represents the precise thing that the Spanish priests were so keen on eradicating. The Chamorro religion of this time was centered around ancestral worship, or the revering of the spirits of your relatives who had passed away. By revering them Chamorros believed that these spirits, these aniti or manganiti could help Chamorros by protecting them and help them in their day to day activities such as making it rain for crops, helping catch fish, or being brave in battle. For Chamorros, thei

Weekly Address by Speaker Judith T. Won Pat Guam Legislature December 31, 2014 "Reconnecting with History to Better Understand Our Lives Today" Buenas yan Hafa Adai! Last night, a special mass was held at the Cathedral Basilica in which parishioners were able to view the skull of 17th century Jesuit missionary Father Manuel de Solorzano. As we close the year, this occasion reminds us of the importance of looking at our history to better understand the complexities we face today. Father Solarzano was killed on Guam in 1684 during a battle waged by Maga’låhi Hura, who was motivated by the desire to protect our ancestors’ way of life and their connection to the land. This was one of the last major battles of the Chamorro-Spanish Wars, and the closest our chiefs got to reclaiming Hagåtña from the Spanish. However, Hula’s forces were defeated by a group of Chamorros, who had converted to Catholicism and were fighting to protect the Church. This return of So