NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

While in Valladolid, on a chilly afternoon, I walked through a house with cramped staircases and low hanging doorways. There were small beds in darkened corners. Aged chairs and paintings. Iron pots and kitchen implements. No doubt much of what was in there, had been placed for effect, but you could still feel the age. This house is known as Case de Cervantes, it was a home where the writer Miguel Cervantes stayed in the early 17th century. Today it is a small museum that features small bits of information about the writer's life. You will also find similar Case de Cervantes in other parts of Spain. Miguel Cervantes is best known for his book Don Quixote, and called the greatest writer in the Spanish language and the first modern novelist. Historians of nationalism are always quick to remind us that the political history of a place doesn't have as much of a role in creating national identity as historians usually imply. Arts and culture, can play a much more profound role i

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

I collect as many things in the Chamorro language as I can. I have my students interview elders in Chamorro. I try to find everything online in Chamorro and cut and paste them into word documents. I have thousands of pages of photocopies children’s books and informational materials in Chamorro. I also, as much as I can try to write down or remember the things that people say to me. I have countless random pages from minutes of meetings, to the backs of student papers, to even napkins from restaurants, all of which have scribbles of Chamorro sentences on them. As I was trying to find some materials for my class tomorrow, I came across this excerpt from a conversation I had with an elderly Chamorro man last year. I really like its message. I may someday get this blown up and place it on my wall as a poster Hu faisen i lahi-hu, sa’ håfa malago’ hao umotro? Håfa na un tatitiyi i kustumbren Amerikånu? Ilek-ña tåya’ dangkolu na bidå-ta hun i Chamorro. Ilek-hu, lachi hao lah

Taga', the Great Maga'lahi of the CNMI and in particular the island of Tinian. He is well-known for the latte house in Tinian that bears his name. In Rota there is a statute of him that stands before the As Nieves quarry there. LIke Gadao in Guam he is a larger than life figure for whom there are many stories and not just the ones that people write on monuments and record in story books. But like so many figures of this type there are those stories that are flattering and those that aren't so flattering. Taga' for example is not only associated with the erecting of great latte houses, but he is also known for being an angry and cruel parent. Take for example the story below from Pedero Ogo in 1962 about Taga'. Ogo is best known for helping Donald Topping and Bernadita Dungca with the creation of the Chamorro-English Dictionary that is widely used today. In this story, Taga' is not a great hero, but a father who sees that his son may surpass him in streng