‘A name to all of us’: Exhibit highlights CHamoru self-determination motion | Way of life

The opening night time of “Yanggen Ti Hita Pues Hayi” or “If Not Us, Then Who?” was an emotional one for residents younger and outdated.

The exhibit highlights Guam’s decolonization journey.

“Decolonization is a longstanding issue for Guam, and the exhibit is a reminder that the fight continues, added Commission on Decolonization staff assistant Byron Aguon. “We’re excited and happy to open and have this opportunity to show how the movement has been informed by the community. We need to decolonize and rectify the issue of political status. This serves as a call to all of us.”

The exhibit is on the Guam Museum’s rotating gallery, ready in collaboration with the Commission on Decolonization, Department of CHamoru Affairs, native artists, and contributing group members.

It is open till May 30. Admission is free.

Bridging outdated, new generations

Sharelen Rose Taitano, 25, of Yigo, stated if her grandmother or aunt weren’t scared to go away the home, they might be in tears on the sight of the exhibit.

She stated her household continues to be afraid of one other warfare and occupation, having lived by means of the island’s Japanese occupation throughout World War II and its aftermath.

“This reminds me of things I heard growing up, listening to my mom and auntie. It hits hard, how they viewed the Japan occupation and how we were traded off after Spain and immediately to America instead of a chance to breathe, and then abandonment during WWII, and the [U.S.] came back,” Taitano stated.

Seeing the historical past specified by entrance of her by means of photographs, movies, banners, petitions, work, and sculptures gave Taitano a way that everybody’s efforts previous and current weren’t for nothing.

She stated it impressed her much more to talk up about decolonization.

“If my grandma can say it wasn’t right, so can I. We deserve to be heard. It’s going to be hard, but community is what they try to take away. They try to take our stories and our voices. They’ll rewrite history. Don’t let them,” Taitano stated.

Taitano stated her household by no means received to see something just like the exhibit once they have been rising up, one thing commemorating Guam’s battle for self-determination.

She was excited to share her expertise along with her household and present them the historical past isn’t forgotten.

But as somebody who grew up listening to their tales, the exhibit additionally reminded Taitano of “a lot of the sadder moments” her grandma talked about.

Taitano stated her household nonetheless finds helmets and different gadgets from the warfare buried of their space.

She stated they get frightened of planes flying over for too lengthy and too loud as a result of it reminds them of the bombs falling and the way it might occur once more.

“When we hear about the U.S. and the stuff they’re doing, it scares us. Who’s going to stop them? Do we think they’ll get us if [occupation] happens again? It could happen, and we don’t feel safe,” Taitano stated.

Taitano added that Guam’s individuals and language suffered significantly popping out of the final battle it was dragged into due to the U.S.

“I remember my mom said my grandma got hit for speaking CHamoru, and I know I can hardly understand CHamoru. They regret not teaching me earlier. When I come here and see this stuff, it makes you remember they didn’t have a head start in passing all that on, and the guilt hurts,” Taitano stated.

‘There have been feats’

Local artist Joshua Barrigada, the exhibit’s logistics coordinator for structure and artwork items, labored with all contributing artists and the fee to model the subject material right into a “visual celebration” so guests can take in the knowledge “without getting bogged down.”

Ha’ani San Nicolas, a navigating residence analysis fellow on the fee, stated the exhibit is supposed to current a grassroots historical past of the decolonization motion, centering it on the group.

Some of the exhibit was assembled by reaching out to activists, utilizing photographs and banners from protests and occasions.

San Nicolas hopes the exhibit will encourage younger individuals and people who are usually not CHamoru to participate within the motion as properly.

“It can feel daunting or as if not much has changed, so we wanted to shape that even if we haven’t achieved a resolution, there have been feats. We got engaged in national forums like the United Nations since the ‘80s. We are making good movement in decolonizing Guam,” San Nicolas stated.

‘We’re all going to be higher for it’

Chalan Pago resident Gilayna Santos, 36, considered solely a fraction of the exhibit however stated it uncovered her to “so much information” about Guam’s colonial historical past.

“The different ways CHamoru people fought for basic human rights is very compelling. A lot of people don’t know our actual colonial history [or] how we got some of the rights we do have,” Santos stated. “I just learned here the community sourced for Francisco B. Leon Guerrero and Balthazar Bordallo to fly out to rally for U.S. citizenship. This guy sold his family land to make that trip.”

She stated realizing the small print can contribute to having a clearer dialog about Guam’s historical past and struggles.

Santos inspired different CHamorus to make use of the chance to study their historical past, saying, “we’re all going to be better for it.”

Husband and spouse John and Chris Tedtaotao stated they’ve at all times adopted the protests for CHamoru rights and lands and preferred seeing the trail of enhancements, even when the journey is ongoing.

Chris Tedtaotao, 70, was glad to see the opening night time turnout of greater than 200 individuals.

“This cannot be forgotten,” she stated.

She stated the exhibit makes a giant distinction for the motion’s morale, providing not solely hope but additionally a possibility for younger individuals to acknowledge what number of have tried to assist decolonize Guam.

“We’re some of the indigenous people here that want to see this before our time. We’ve lost a lot of true spirited people, and we’re trying to find outlets to stand together in unity,” Chris Tedtaotao stated.

She stated she and her husband have been protesting with different organizations and attended many occasions to contribute to the motion.

Something they each need resolved quickly, she added, is the individuals’s relationship with the navy and its maintain on a lot of the island.

“A lot of value could be created for CHamoru people with the military listening to our cries and our hopes for the land. We don’t own the land anymore, and now we’re here with the waters,” Chris Tedtaotao stated.

John Tedtaotao, 68, stated the exhibit made him emotional and reminded him of everybody he knew concerned within the motion.

“This is amazing. We thought we lost all those wonderful pictures, and seeing all these now put tears in my eyes because everyone who passed left something behind,” John Tedtaotao stated.

Hågat resident Kathlyn Selleck, 60, known as the exhibit “an extraordinary collection of historical artifacts and information.”

Originally from the mainland, Selleck stated it was an effective way to study in regards to the historical past of Guam.

“I admire the continued efforts to pursue self-determination all through the centuries. My household was energetic within the civil rights motion within the ‘60s, so I benefited from the activities of my parents, and Guam is a very unique place in that it still is striving for self-determination,” Selleck said.

Selleck added that resistance and advocacy are an ongoing challenge.

“For people of color and women, we still have to pursue our rights and our freedom from oppression and misrepresentation and recognize and understand the forces that want to define us in ways that may limit our ability to speak freely,” she said. “Our parents and our ancestors did a lot of the hard work but it’s nonetheless ongoing for all of us.”