Historian backs ‘Guahan,’ senator bats for self-rule
Wednesday, 17 February 2010 03:32
by Tiffany Sukola | Variety News Staff
A LOCAL historian stands behind Gov. Felix Camacho’s initiative to adopt “Guahan” as the island’s official name, despite harsh criticism from some local residents.
Camacho signed an executive order on Monday after delivering his final state of the island address that calls for all “Guam” references in official documents to be replaced with “Guahan,” the island’s indigenous name. The governor also asked legislators to enact a similar measure to adopt the name-change as well.
University of Guam Chamorro professor Peter Onedera said critics of the governor’s initiative are missing the point of this unprecedented move. He said he has heard opponents of Camacho’s decision say that the name-change will have no effect on the Chamorro people.
However, Onedera said he fully supports Camacho’s move because he sees this is a chance for the Chamorro people to finally have a say in what happens to their island. “This is a step in the right direction,” said Onedera. “It’s about time the Chamorro people are empowered.”
Onedera said local residents should not let this opportunity to give the island its proper name back. “Other names were given through time, from the Spanish, the Japanese and the Americans,” he said. “But no one ever asked the native people if it was ok or got permission from them to use these new names.”
According to Onedera, “Guahan” and “Guam” have both been used in historical documents referencing the island. However, the natives called their island “Guahan.”
Americans started calling the island, ‘Guam’, when they arrived in 1898, said Onedera. The name stuck after the island was referenced as “Guam” in the Treaty of Paris.
The first naval governor, Richard Leary, requested that the island be officially named, “Isle of Guam.”
Onedera added that residents should feel empowered because they finally have a chance to voice their opinion on the matter.
However, Sen. Judi Guthertz said that while Camacho’s intentions are all well and good, changing the name of our island is not a legacy.
“A legacy is achieving something really remarkable on a significant issue,” said Guthertz in a press release yesterday. “I would suggest that the Governor concentrate…on establishing a new and improved political status as his legacy.”
Guthertz added that Camacho should convene the Commission on Decolonization and the Guam First Commission to address the issue of political status.
Onedera also said that he would like to see the next administration take a more proactive role in preserving the island’s culture and language.
“We are losing things of value to our culture,” said Onedera. “I hope the next administration has more cultural sensitivity.”
Onedera said he believes the Chamorro language is not used nearly enough throughout the island. The Chamorro language, he said, should be used more in official documents and during public speeches.
Showing posts with label Treaty of Paris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Treaty of Paris. Show all posts
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Back to ‘Guahan’
Back to ‘Guahan’
Tuesday, 16 February 2010 00:59
by Mar-Vic Cagurangan | Variety News Staff
GOVERNOR Felix P. Camacho yesterday sought the adoption of “Guahan” as the territory’s official name, highlighting the newfound cultural activism sparked by the islanders’ resistance to the influx of American troops.
“’Guahan’ means ‘we have’ and we have the right to do so,” the governor said in his final state of the island address yesterday.
In an executive order signed after delivering his last annual address, the governor ordered that all “Guam” references in official documents be replaced with “Guahan,” the island’s indigenous name.
Camacho also asked the legislature to enact a pertinent measure to adopt the official name-change, which the governor obviously seeks to leave as his legacy.
The governor’s deputy chief of staff, Shawn Gumataotao, said the executive order was the first step toward the lengthy process of officially renaming the territory.
“It requires a change in the Guam Code Annotated and the Organic Act. It also requires national international recognition and congressional action,” Gumataotao said.
The governor’s bid for reversion to the island’s indigenous name came as “We Are Guahan,” a new movement that seeks to educate the community about the impact of the military buildup, became a household word overnight.
“Reclaiming the name ‘Guahan’ enhances the practice of Chamorro language and promotes the historic and cultural connection to the island,” the executive order states.
The island has always been known as “Guahan” to its natives. The Spaniards called it “Isla de Ladrones.”
The American started referring to the island as “Guam” when they came over in 1898. It had since become the official reference to the island as sealed by the Treaty of Paris.
On Feb. 23, 1900, the first Naval governor, Richard Leary requested that the island be officially designated as “Isle of Guam.”
“As a native son, and as the elected governor of our people, I hereby request that we reclaim our indigenous name of Guahan,” Camacho said in his address.
“As we quickly move in to this time of rapid growth and development that may forever change our island, our sense of identity, family and place, it is important that we reaffirm our identity as a people,” the governor added.
Micheal Lujan Bevacqua, a cultural activist and an instructor of Guam History at the University of Guam, described the governor’s executive order as “a step toward keeping the heritage and language of the Chamorro people.”
“Guam has been known for many names, including ‘Isla de Ladrones.’ The Spaniards tried to rename it ‘San Juan,” but for some reason, it never went through,” Bevacqua said. “The Americans called it ‘Guam’ because they could not pronounce ‘Guahan.’ Over the years, ‘Guam’ had been misspelled as ‘Boam’ on world maps.”
Tuesday, 16 February 2010 00:59
by Mar-Vic Cagurangan | Variety News Staff
GOVERNOR Felix P. Camacho yesterday sought the adoption of “Guahan” as the territory’s official name, highlighting the newfound cultural activism sparked by the islanders’ resistance to the influx of American troops.
“’Guahan’ means ‘we have’ and we have the right to do so,” the governor said in his final state of the island address yesterday.
In an executive order signed after delivering his last annual address, the governor ordered that all “Guam” references in official documents be replaced with “Guahan,” the island’s indigenous name.
Camacho also asked the legislature to enact a pertinent measure to adopt the official name-change, which the governor obviously seeks to leave as his legacy.
The governor’s deputy chief of staff, Shawn Gumataotao, said the executive order was the first step toward the lengthy process of officially renaming the territory.
“It requires a change in the Guam Code Annotated and the Organic Act. It also requires national international recognition and congressional action,” Gumataotao said.
The governor’s bid for reversion to the island’s indigenous name came as “We Are Guahan,” a new movement that seeks to educate the community about the impact of the military buildup, became a household word overnight.
“Reclaiming the name ‘Guahan’ enhances the practice of Chamorro language and promotes the historic and cultural connection to the island,” the executive order states.
The island has always been known as “Guahan” to its natives. The Spaniards called it “Isla de Ladrones.”
The American started referring to the island as “Guam” when they came over in 1898. It had since become the official reference to the island as sealed by the Treaty of Paris.
On Feb. 23, 1900, the first Naval governor, Richard Leary requested that the island be officially designated as “Isle of Guam.”
“As a native son, and as the elected governor of our people, I hereby request that we reclaim our indigenous name of Guahan,” Camacho said in his address.
“As we quickly move in to this time of rapid growth and development that may forever change our island, our sense of identity, family and place, it is important that we reaffirm our identity as a people,” the governor added.
Micheal Lujan Bevacqua, a cultural activist and an instructor of Guam History at the University of Guam, described the governor’s executive order as “a step toward keeping the heritage and language of the Chamorro people.”
“Guam has been known for many names, including ‘Isla de Ladrones.’ The Spaniards tried to rename it ‘San Juan,” but for some reason, it never went through,” Bevacqua said. “The Americans called it ‘Guam’ because they could not pronounce ‘Guahan.’ Over the years, ‘Guam’ had been misspelled as ‘Boam’ on world maps.”
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The fast lane to first-class U.S. citizenship
The fast lane to first-class U.S. citizenship
by John Davis
As our government plans to begin the education portion of our quest towards political self determination, there’s another avenue that appears to bear more fruit than determining our island’s political status. That avenue is having our people recognized as a Native American tribe. Attempts to gain recognition of the Chamorro people as Native American tribes don’t effect the Guam quest for political self determination.
In fact, I view it as an enhancement to the current relationship with the U.S. Government.
Currently Chamorros are entitled to 2nd class U.S. Citizenship thanks to the passage of the Organic Act and the signing of the Treaty of Paris over a century ago. I say 2nd class citizenship or statutory citizenship because we don’t vote for president and we do not have equal representation in congress. We elect a delegate to congress, but they have no voting power on the floor. What makes matters worse is only certain parts of the U.S. Constitution and Basic Human Rights apply to Chamorro people because the U.S. Supreme Court recognized them and gave us those rights to 2nd class citizenship.
If Chamorro’s are recognized as a Native American tribe, members will be incorporated into an already existing federal law called the United States and the Indian naturalization Act. If the United States and Indian naturalization Act applies to members of the Chamorro Tribe, our existence as 2nd class U.S. citizens will end. Members of this Chamorro Tribe will be able to cast their vote for President, we might even get a vote that counts in the Electoral College and we will have equal voting representation in the U.S. Congress.
All it takes to be recognized as Native American is the approval of the Secretary of the U.S. department of interior. It doesn’t require an act of congress or special consideration from the president, but if it does happen, Guam and it’s Chamorro Native American tribe members will begin to reap real benefits from the federal government.
If Chamorro’s on Guam and abroad are recognized as a Native American tribe, members of the tribe would be able to help our island government with the upcoming military buildup, guaranteeing money before, during and after the buildup will stay on Guam. There is existing federal government policy related to the issuance of federal contracts that will help members of the Tribe.
That federal government policy entitles 30 percent of all federal government contracts to be awarded to Native American tribes. Native American tribes are also allowed to bid up to 30 percent over the contract amount and still receive special consideration as a Native American tribe. In fact, there is already a company doing business on Guam as a Native American Alaskan tribe, imagine the consideration they’re getting now and the consideration a Chamorro tribe would get if recognized by USDOI? Now that makes dollars and cents instead of dollars and nonsense.
Every year, money from the federal government is appropriated to recognized Native American tribes for schools, homes, businesses, public safety and healthcare. Our healthcare, education and public safety systems in our government could use some extra cash, which will be available if our people are recognized as a Native American tribe.
If you’re not a member of the Chamorro Tribe, sign up and get involved. Even the United Nations Expert on Political Status agreed gaining recognition as a Native American tribe was the express lane to equal treatment and equal representation from the U.S. Government. I say we follow his lead, but lead the way for our people.
by John Davis
As our government plans to begin the education portion of our quest towards political self determination, there’s another avenue that appears to bear more fruit than determining our island’s political status. That avenue is having our people recognized as a Native American tribe. Attempts to gain recognition of the Chamorro people as Native American tribes don’t effect the Guam quest for political self determination.
In fact, I view it as an enhancement to the current relationship with the U.S. Government.
Currently Chamorros are entitled to 2nd class U.S. Citizenship thanks to the passage of the Organic Act and the signing of the Treaty of Paris over a century ago. I say 2nd class citizenship or statutory citizenship because we don’t vote for president and we do not have equal representation in congress. We elect a delegate to congress, but they have no voting power on the floor. What makes matters worse is only certain parts of the U.S. Constitution and Basic Human Rights apply to Chamorro people because the U.S. Supreme Court recognized them and gave us those rights to 2nd class citizenship.
If Chamorro’s are recognized as a Native American tribe, members will be incorporated into an already existing federal law called the United States and the Indian naturalization Act. If the United States and Indian naturalization Act applies to members of the Chamorro Tribe, our existence as 2nd class U.S. citizens will end. Members of this Chamorro Tribe will be able to cast their vote for President, we might even get a vote that counts in the Electoral College and we will have equal voting representation in the U.S. Congress.
All it takes to be recognized as Native American is the approval of the Secretary of the U.S. department of interior. It doesn’t require an act of congress or special consideration from the president, but if it does happen, Guam and it’s Chamorro Native American tribe members will begin to reap real benefits from the federal government.
If Chamorro’s on Guam and abroad are recognized as a Native American tribe, members of the tribe would be able to help our island government with the upcoming military buildup, guaranteeing money before, during and after the buildup will stay on Guam. There is existing federal government policy related to the issuance of federal contracts that will help members of the Tribe.
That federal government policy entitles 30 percent of all federal government contracts to be awarded to Native American tribes. Native American tribes are also allowed to bid up to 30 percent over the contract amount and still receive special consideration as a Native American tribe. In fact, there is already a company doing business on Guam as a Native American Alaskan tribe, imagine the consideration they’re getting now and the consideration a Chamorro tribe would get if recognized by USDOI? Now that makes dollars and cents instead of dollars and nonsense.
Every year, money from the federal government is appropriated to recognized Native American tribes for schools, homes, businesses, public safety and healthcare. Our healthcare, education and public safety systems in our government could use some extra cash, which will be available if our people are recognized as a Native American tribe.
If you’re not a member of the Chamorro Tribe, sign up and get involved. Even the United Nations Expert on Political Status agreed gaining recognition as a Native American tribe was the express lane to equal treatment and equal representation from the U.S. Government. I say we follow his lead, but lead the way for our people.
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