NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

This legend of Gådao is an intriguing one. In some ways it fits the mold perfectly for a Chamorro legend. In other ways it feels different, like something borrowed from a Greek legend perhaps. One thing that stands out is the idea of Gådao becoming a Maga'låhi or a king for the entire island. This stands in contrast to much of what we know about ancient Chamorro culture. Where they seemed to be like most indigenous people, where they had a society were power was actively distributed and made diffuse to prevent anyone from dominating too much over others. Although the emphasis on great accomplishments bringing one great social standing feels very appropriate. If I had to guess about the origin of this story, it seems in some way like a legend made by a Chamorro during the Spanish period, meant to reflect the greatness of their ancient past. Gådao existed in some form for sure, and perhaps the legend of him and Malagua'i or Malaguaña is an older form. But this

Some articles about Puengen Minagof Nochebuena. This past year and some press releases from years before. Si Yu'us Ma'ase to the Pacific Daily News for their generous coverage this year!! Ko'lo'lo'na si Jojo Santos Tomas yan Si Sue Lee! Puede ha' nina'haspok hamoy ni' todu i kinanno'-miyu buñelos gi ma'pos na simana!  ***************** Fashion, doughnuts highlighted at UOG's Puengen Minagof Nochebuena 2015 Jojo Santo Tomas   Pacific Daily News December 3, 2015 Cultural fashion and delicious treats will highlight Puengen Minagof Nochebuena 2015 Friday night at the University of Guam campus, and the public is invited. The event is presented by the  University of Guam Division of Humanities at the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and the Chamorro Studies Program. It runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4 in the Humanities and Social Sciences Building (HSS) Atrium. "For this year's Puengen Minagof No

The website of Pale' Eric Forbes is a great place for information on Chamorro language, culture and history. He has everything from Chamorro sayings, to translations of Chamorro texts, to little tidbits and footnotes from Chamorro history. It is a great resource for those who want to deepen their knowledge about so many of the things that make Chamorro Chamorro. He has a creative way of drawing out interesting parts of our native and pre-contact history, but also our colonial history. He has an equal excitement for both dimensions, which many find surprising because of his work as a Catholic priest. Below is the transcript of some testimony given recently at the Legislature gi Fino' Chamoru. Pale' Eric provides not only a transcript but also a translation. Often times when he provide a text like this he'll have detailed notes on some of the words used and their origins. The testimony was given in favor of a bill to support the Historic Inalahan program. It is nice

In order to get through our lives we will divide our consciousness into layers. There will be things that we will let float atop our consciousness on a daily basis because we judge them to be important enough to have access to all the time. There will be things that the context of each day will force to the surface. Things that we maybe didn’t wish would reveal themselves all the time, but will anyways because of what is happening around us. Then there are the things that we will knowingly or unknowingly push down as far as we can and hope they never emerge. These are notions, faint ideas, principles, realizations which pumuha todu. They have the ability to upset everything, like flipping over a jar filled with water and watching everything within be taken away by the momentum of the chaos. These are things that are banished or submerged deep below because they cost too much to acknowledge on a daily basis. They extract so much ideological flesh in their reco

“Tåya’ Båtson San Jose” Michael Lujan Bevacqua The Marianas Variety 3/7/12 In the writing of my Masters Thesis in Micronesian Studies I conducted over a hundred interviews with Chamorros who were born in the prewar Naval colonial era of Guam history and also endured the trauma of I Tiempon Chapones, the period of Japanese colonialism in World War II. These interviews were conducted more than a decade ago, over the course of several years. Since then, so many of those I spent an afternoon with in their outside kitchen or a morning sipping coffee at Hagatña McDonald’s have passed away. One of the most interesting memories I have from that period is my attempt to figure out the meaning of an old Chamorro fina’kuentos, empe’ finayi, or in English “saying” that one of my interview subjects had used. While speaking to an elderly man in Inarajan about the work of Father Jesus Baza Duenas in World War II and the changes of life in his village, he invoked the saying “tåya’ Båston San Jo

The end of one of modern Guam's most enduring eras is over. Last week we closed one of the most storied chapters of our island's history. We said goodbye to something which has in some ways been a terrible friend to the island and a necessary one as well. Through economic upswings, downturns, typhoons, an endless string of concerts by washed up musicians, the resurgence of Chamorro dance, and the sons of two different Republican Governors getting elected themselves to the island's highest office, this era had it all. Now it comes to an end. Last week Guam began the transition out of the Ordot Dump era of the island's history and with the opening of a new dump in Layon, Inarajan, we have now entered the Layon Dump era of history. Who knows what lies ahead for the people of this tumultuous little island as we go from putting our overabundance of garbage from one pile to another. *********************** New Layon Landfill now open FRIDAY, 02 SEPTEMBER 2011 01: