Guam Historian Sanchez Dies at 54

Written by Gaynor Dumat-ol Daleno, Pacific Daily News, Apr. 18, 2012.


Anthony Sanchez

Anthony"Tony" P. Sanchez, a champion of keeping the local culture alive, former Gov. Felix Camacho's chief of staff, a former administrative director for the Superior Court of Guam, historian, author and Pacific Daily News culture columnist, died yesterday after an illness.

He was 54.

His death was confirmed by his brother, Simon Sanchez, former senator and Consolidated Commission on Utilities chairman.

Tony Sanchez was surrounded by family and friends at the time of his passing, said Clifford Guzman, a longtime friend and former colleague.

"He passed very peacefully," Guzman said.

Tony Sanchez was an advocate for preserving the Chamorro culture so that the younger generations will draw inspiration from their heritage, Guzman said.

"There were many facets of Tony, but most importantly his heart was about Guam -- everything was about Guam," Guzman said.

"He had his own vision of what Guam should be. We needed to be deeply rooted in our ancestors," Guzman said, to be guided as a community in looking to the future.

Simon Sanchez said his brother also was known for supporting local artists by producing films about Chamorro legends as well as producing local songs.

He once produced a song called "Guam Native Son," which was sung by the likes of former Gov. Camacho, Simon Sanchez and others.

Tony Sanchez's involvement with the local government spanned decades and various roles.

He was administrative director for the Superior Court, then-Gov. Felix Camacho's chief of staff and senior adviser, spokesman for the local courts in the early 1990s, and a spokesman for Guam Power Authority in the 1980s.

Tony Sanchez had been ill for months, said Simon Sanchez.

The two brothers are the children of former University of Guam President and former Sen. Pedro "Doc" Sanchez.

The Sanchez siblings' grandfather, Simon Sanchez, was Guam's superintendent of schools in 1940, Pacific Daily News files show.

Tony Sanchez was a member of the Father Duenas Memorial School high school class of 1976, with such classmates as Gov. Camacho, Chief Justice Robert Torres and former Sen. Tony Blaz.

Despite his illness, Tony Sanchez continued his weekly culture and history column with the Pacific Daily News, providing a link between today's Guam and the Guam of more than a half-century ago.

In a May 2012 column, Tony Sanchez wrote about legendary Chamorro figure Juan Mala, who, according to Tony Sanchez, "played many pranks and jokes on Spanish governors and Spanish soldiers who occupied Guam for more than 300 years before the American administration."

In drawing inspiration from Juan Mala, Tony Sanchez wrote in one of his last columns: "Our language and our culture will persevere."

Speaker Judith Won Pat said Tony Sanchez "will be remembered by many as a well-spoken, intelligent man who was loyal to those whom he called friend."

Source: http://www.guampdn.com/article/20120418/NEWS01/204180333/Guam-historian-Sanchez-dies-54

WWII Guahan CHamoru Veteran List of Casualties

Page 17.

Page 18.

Kottura Chumilong yan Lina'la' Uriya gi i Mina'onse na FESTPAC

Written by Peter R. Onedera, Guam PDN, Apr. 17, 2012.

Peter R. Onedera

Mampripåpara siento singkuenta na manåttesta, mamfafa'tinas, yan mandimimomorian Guåhan para i sinaonao-ñiha tåtkumu diligasion i isla gi i Mina'onse na Ferian Åtten Pasifiku gi iya Honiara, Solomon Islands gi diha 1 asta 14 gi Hulio.

Ma gogo'te i feria, put mås ma tungo' i FESTPAC, kada kuåtro åños entre isla yan nasion siha ginen Maikrunisia, Pålinisia, yan Melanisia ni' kulan pumarehu yan i Olimpik Intetnasiunåt, Huegon Maikrunisia yan Huegon Pasifiku annai ti ma prisesenta milåyan oru, similot osino brånsiha. Mistet, ma fatta ha' åtte, fino' yan kottura siha.

Para u ma prisenta gi i durånten dos simåna na tiempo este siha: kånta, baila, estoria, lålai, fina'tinas nengkanno', nabigasion, egge', linitråtu, åmot tradisiunåt, huegu yan hugeti, tiniffok, åtten inatan, botto, inadotnan tataotao, tatu, linasguen håyu, ramenta, moda, magågon taotao tåno', musikon kontemporåriu, tinige' lepblo, alåhas, fina'tinas hereru, kinahat guma', sinangan, yan enstromenton dåndan siha.

Hagas ma riprisenta Guåhan desdeki ma tutuhon i feria gi iya Fiji gi 1972. Pumalu tåno' siha ni' pumatlinuyi i FESTPAC annai guaha manmåtto ginen Guåhan sumaonao Tahiti, Australia, Cook Islands, Western Samoa, New Caledonia, the Republic of Palau, yan American Samoa. Para u go'te iya Guåhan i feria gi 2016, mina'dos na islan Maikrunisia ni' hagas manatahgue entre Melanisia yan Pålinesia na lugåt siha. I fine'nana gumo'te na isla gi iya Maikrunisia iya Republic of Palau gi 2004.
Båli ma li'e' yan ma eksperensia i FESTPAC nomåsdi un biåhi gi i lina'la'. Guaha kulot yan minagof prisentasion yan kontodu hiningok fino' taotao siha gi uriyan lugåt FESTPAC. Hu hasso i fine'nana na hinanao-hu ni' ma go'te gi iya Cook Islands gi 1992. Ginen inetnon direktot yu' para i Guam CAHA guihi na tiempo annai ha agångi yu' si Tony Lamorena sa' guiya direktot ayu na tiempo.

Hinasso-ku na ginen imahinasion ha' i atte yan kottura ni' annok kontiempo para guåhu gi Ha'ånen Libirasion yan Mes CHamoru na aktebedåt siha. Tiniffok tuhong, guagua', gueha yan guåffak ginen hågon niyok hu lili'e' ha', hinatsan såde' gåni, na'fi'esta yan åmot CHamoru yan lokkue' kånta yan baila ni' chåcha, båtsu yan musikon Españot hu sosodda'. Måtto di lachi yu' astaki hu atendi i feria. Hu fåna' kostumbren otro na taotao tåno' siha entre i isla siha gi iya Pasifiku.

Gi i 1996 na FESTPAC, hu tuge' i skrip Taotao Latte, ayu numa'famao i lalai siha taiguihi Pidåsu Put Pidåsu, Hami Manmaga'håga yan i tinayuyot lålai O Asaina. Mañaonao kåntadot yan kåntadora, bailadot yan bailadora, lålalai siha, hereru siha, åttestan tatu, mantitiffok, yan manlasguen håyu na diligasion. Ti pumosipble sumaonao-hu guihi na feria sa' put i hu tutuhon humotnåt gi iya Unibetsedåt Guåhan ya tåya' libettå-ku para hinanao. Tumaiguihi ha' estao-hu ta'lo gi despues na feria ni' ma go'te gi iya New Caledonia.

En fin, gof maolek i feria ni' ma got'e gi iya Republic of Palau sa' si JLawrence Cruz ni' prisedenten Dipåttamenton Kaohao Guinahan Chamorro ha eppok yu' para bai hu fotma gurupon e'estoria siha para u ma prisenta estorian lihende yan hestorikåt. Mangonne' yu' kåsi un dosena na taotao para ayu. Lao ayu mås na dångkolon finatta ni' ha cho'gue iya Guåhan i hinalom galaide' ni' chine'gue as nabigadot Larry Cunningham yan si Frank Cruz.

På'go na biåhi, ni' para Honiara, Solomon Islands gi mamaila' na tiempon bakasion, duru manma cho'cho' i diligasion Åtten Literåt sa' pumoddong i prisentasion siha ni' para umestoria, modan magågu, huegon tradisiunåt, ferian linitråtu, prodoksion egge', musikon kontemporåriu, yan lepblon tinige' siha ni' para u guaha lokkue' rinikohen tinige' para mismo ginen membron-måmi.

Guåhu dumiririhi bente singko na membro para i Atten Literåt. Mañaonao si Beverly Ann Borja Acfalle, si Dolores "Dee" Aguon, si Julian Hemsing Aguon, si Eric Joseph Borja, si Arlene Salas Diaz, si Ju'ne Sablan Hawkins, si Joseph "Joey" Leon Guerrero, si Ben "Maga'låhi" Mesngon, si Benita Mesngon Lizama, si John Mesngon Lizama, si June Munoz Lizama, si Simeon Manibusan Palomo, si Juanita Toves Peredo, si Annie M. B. Pineda, si Patricia Ann Quichocho, si Emily Guerrero Sablan, si Frances Mary Manibusan Sablan, si Patria Untalan Sablan, si Antonia Masga Salas yan si Julia Henderson Shore.

Kåsi bente mit na taotao manmåfatto guatu gi i feria ya, put i islan Guåhan na para u ma go'te i Ferian 2016 yan put i guiya i isla trångkan Maikrunisia ginen tåno' Åsiha yan Amerika, dumopble na finatton taotao siempre. Esta ha tutuhon i Liheslatura yan i atmenestrasion Maga'låhi Eddie Baza Calvo i planu siha tåtkumu ginen pinasan lai ni' ma apunta si Therese Cruz Arriola, membron i liheslatura, direktot CAHA, GVB yan Dipåttamenton Kaohao Guinahan Chamorro, På'a Taotao Tåno' yan Hurao para i priparasion 2016.

Este na gurupu fumofotma lokkue' i hinanao diligasion para Honiara sa' para ayu na u ma prisenta i banderan pinatlinu gi i hinichom siremoñas guatu gi i ge'hilo' i gurupon Guåhan.

Ma planeneha lokkue' un dångkolon aktebedåt gi Damenggo, diha 24 gi Huño 2012 desdeki oran alas onse gi egga'an asta alas sais gi pupuengi gi iya University of Guam Fieldhouse. Para u ma prisenta nu i siento singkuenta na membron diligasion i håfa para u ma cho'gue gi durånten ayu na ha'åni. Este na prisentasion para u ma ripiti kontåtki cho'cho'-ñiha guatu gi enteru mundo gi i Mina'onse na Ferian Åtten Pasifiku gi iya Honiara, Solomon Islands. Para u ma tutuhon ma bende i tikket siha gi bente pesos para kada taotao på'go na simåna.

Imel Peter R. Onedera giya peteronedera@gmail.com.

English translation:

Culture in harmony with nature at 11th FESTPAC

One hundred and fifty of Guam's artists, crafters and performers are gearing up for their participation as the island's delegation to the 11th Festival of the Pacific Arts in Honiara, Solomon Islands, from July 1-14.

The festival, known as FESTPAC, is held every four years and rotates among islands and countries in Micronesia, Polynesia and Melanesia in what is akin to the International Olympic Games, the Micronesian Games and the Pacific Games, where gold, silver and bronze medals are not in contention. Instead it is a showcase of the arts, languages, and cultures.

The two-week event will feature the following genres: songs, dances, storytelling, chants, culinary, navigation, theater, film, traditional medicines, toys and games, weaving, visual arts, sculpture, body ornamentation, tattooing, wood carvings, utilitarian tools, textiles, indigenous fashion, contemporary music, literature, jewelry, blacksmithing, architecture, oratory, photography and musical instrumentation.

Guam has been represented since the inception of the festival that began in Fiji in 1972. Other countries that hosted FESTPAC and for which Guam sent delegations include Tahiti, Australia, Cook Islands, Western Samoa, New Caledonia, the Republic of Palau, and American Samoa.

Guam is slated to host in 2016, the second island in Micronesia to host FESTPAC, which was previously confined to countries in Melanesia or Polynesia. The Republic of Palau was the first in 2004.

FESTPAC is an event worth seeing and experiencing at least once in a lifetime. There is color and pageantry plus the myriad of languages pervading throughout the atmosphere of FESTPAC. I remember the first one that I attended and that was in the Cook Islands in 1992. I was then a board member for the Guam CAHA and I was fortunate to be included upon the invitation of then-Director Tony Lamorena.

I thought that arts and culture were pretty much a figment of my imagination as they only seemed to occur only around Liberation Day and the Chamoru Month festivities. My connection was pretty much the hats, baskets, fans and mats woven from coconut palm fronds, the building of huts, wearing mestisas, fiesta food and Chamoru herbal medicine while songs and dances were the chacha, the båtsu, and Spanish renditions of local ballads. How wrong I was when I attended that festival. It brought me face to face with the attributes of many islands spread throughout the vast Pacific.

In the 1996 FESTPAC, I wrote the script of Taotao Latte, the performance that popularized Pidåsu Put Pidåsu, Hami Manmaga'håga and the prayer chant of O Asaina. Singers, dancers and chanters, blacksmiths, tattoo artists, weavers and wood carvers comprised many of Guam's delegation.
Unfortunately, I did not attend that festival as I had begun my employment at the University of Guam and I did not immediately warrant leave of any sort to attend the festival. My employment status also prevented me from attending the succeeding one that was held in New Caledonia.

However, the Republic of Palau was an event worth remembering as former president of the Department of Chamoru Affairs, JLawrence Cruz urged me to form Guam's official storytelling group to present stories, legends, and history. I brought a dozen people with me. The most notable participation in that FESTPAC was the island's first official entry of its proa, comprised and headed by navigators Larry Cunningham and Frank Cruz.

This time, with Honiara, Solomon Islands looming ahead, the Literary Arts delegation has been working diligently as our presentation is loaded with tasks that include storytelling, fashion pageant, traditional games, a film festival, theatrical productions, contemporary music, and literary publications that will also include a book of anthology with written contributions from our members.

I am in charge of a 25 member delegation for Literary Arts. Members include Beverly Ann Borja Acfalle, Dolores "Dee" Aguon, Julian Hemsing Aguon, Eric Joseph Borja, Arlene Salas Diaz, Ju'ne Sablan Hawkins, Joseph "Joey" Leon Guerrero, Ben "Maga'låhi" Lizama, Benita Mesngon Lizama, John Mesngon Lizama, June Munoz Lizama, Simeon Manibusan Palomo, Juanita Toves Peredo, Annie M. B. Pineda, Patricia Ann Quichocho, Emily Guerrero Sablan, Frances Mary Manibusan Sablan, Patria Untalan Sablan, Antonia Masga Salas and Julia Henderson Shore.

About 20,000 people grace the festival and, because Guam is hosting the event in 2016 and the island being a gateway to Micronesia from throughout Asia and the United States, it is expected that the amount will double. Already the Guam Legislature and the administration of Gov. Eddie Baza Calvo have started the wheels of planning with a law enacted naming such individuals as Therese Cruz Arriola, select members of the Legislature, directors of CAHA, GVB and the Department of Chamorro Affairs, På'a Taotao Tåno' and Hurao spearheading the plans and preparations for 2016.

The same group is helping put together the island's contingent to Honiara as the venue is where the flag of host will be presented at the closing ceremonies to the head delegate of the Guam group.

A huge gala event is being planned for June 24 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the University of Guam field house. The 150 delegation members will be presenting their repertoire of work throughout the day. This will be the same repertoire that will be presented to the world at the 11th Fesival of the Pacific Arts in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Tickets for $20 per person for the all-day event will be on sale starting this week.

Email Peter R. Onedera at peteronedera@gmail.com.

Source: http://www.guampdn.com/article/20120417/OPINION02/204170315/-1/NLETTER01/Kottura-chumilong-yan-lina-la--uriya-gi-i-mina-onse-na-FESTPAC?source=nletter-news

Struggle for Government to Push for Greener Power Source Usage

Buenas ta’lu’ afanelos.

  Only after a heighten sense of awareness, education, and grass roots activism will most governments act on pushing for more green friendly power source technology and usage.  As I had mentioned yesterday under the other PDN article “Develop: Follow Hawaii and push for clean energy industry for Guam” because islands will be the first land massed societies to confront power sourcing and waste issues as a direct result of land capacity and increased population. 

  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not defending the Government of Guam and their particular reasons for not using the green technology as power sources.  The fact of the matter is that green power source technology is quite expensive and governments are truly aware of that.  Most civil governments in today’s society are always faced with budget constraints, therefore sometimes “…Robbing Peter to pay Paul...”  This practice is normally present and used to quench many of the incumbent’s constituent’s demands.  It is something most elected officials don’t plan on prior to being seated in office, but the issue does come to them later during the tenure.

  The funny thing about the high price of this technology such as solar panels, etc., China currently leads the U.S. and most of the European Union in manufacturing affordable solar panel technology.  Not to be beaten by China and their increase production of green technology, President Jimmy Carter proposed immediately after being seated in office that the White House use this solar panel technology and that American manufacturers and consumers, follow suit in an effort to decrease if not eliminate the use of foreign fuel sources.  The bad news, was that immediately after Ronald Reagan was seated into office he immediately informed his staff to “remove” all the solar panels previously installed by the Carter administration.  Go figure “Gipper.”

  Part of Guåhan’s eventual social economic issues will be a direct result of an “ever increasing practice of urbanization” in an effort to accommodate an “ever increasing population” for the most part, not the current fault of the local government, but the fault of the U.S. Department of Interior, the Department of Defense, and elected Congressional House and Senate Representative actions based on their individual or party motives.

  Why is this an issue?  Well, what does one do with all the increase in waste produced by the increase in population?  It has to go somewhere…it has to go somewhere.

  What power source is the Federal Government proposing the island of Guåhan use to accommodate the military buildup and the increase population as a result?  Answer, “A naval submarine with a nuclear reactor.”  Wow!  What a great “green power source,” huh?

  The best approach in psuhing any government in leaning towards the approval and usage for a “greener” power source is through civil and social activism using education as the “weapon of choice.”  First and foremost, it is the people of Guåhan that must first be educated in what choices are available and the potential impacts of those choices both “short term” and “long term.”  The next ideal step after the education process is for the people to push those concerns using the political process.  Remember that the elected government officials are the direct representative “of the people” and must work in the “best interest” of the people.  Hafa Mohon?

  BTW, let’s begin with a Guåhan “Zero Waste” policy using the template created, applied and used in “New Zealand” (URL: http://www.zerowaste.co.nz/).  Once Guåhan has achieved this “Zero Waste” concept, the stepping stones would then lead “I Tåo’t åo’ Tano’” towards a “Greener Power Sources.”

  If the government wants to build a “firing range” on Guåhan, both the Federal Government and the Government of Japan can work together on an “Off Shore” range.  Why?  If Japan can build an off-shore Airport Terminal, then they can work together with the Federal Government and build a firing range a couple of miles off shore (if they still want a firing range on Guåhan).

  “Not Another Acre!”  Hafa Mohon?