Projects, Activities, Exhibits
Hefaifai of Ininan Ilawol
A project out of the Center for Island Wisdom, the Ininan Ilawol project was the acquisition of a long-voyaging Carolinian Canoe for the University of Guam. Under the guidance of Pairourou master navigators and Senap, Micronesian master canoe carvers, the completion of the project was marked with the ancient ritual of Hefaifai on Aug 13, 2023. This was a collaborative project between the University of Guam, the Office of the Mayor of the village of Piti, and the Reimethau Community of Guam with sponsorship by Matson Navigation.
Pwo Ritual
A project sponsored by the University of Guam, Center for Island Wisdom and Sea Grant, the Pwo ceremony is an ancient sacred ritual performed in the Caroline Islands by traditional master navigators for thousands of years. These master navigators acquired their knowledge from traditional navigation schools in the Micronesian region, such as the CHamoru schools of Ka’na and Manafot. As a gift to the people of the Marianas, the Pwo was performed in Piti, Guam to reaffirm the importance of traditional seafaring as a form of regional cultural memory.
Indigenous Seafaring and Celestial Navigation Project
Project Manager. Island Wisdom Traditional Seafaring The Indigenous Seafaring and Celestial Navigation Apprenticeship Program is designed to promote the sacred knowledge of Micronesian traditional seafaring and canoe carving utilizing the methodology prescribed by the ancient Weriyeng School of Navigation. This project is sponsored by Pawanka Fund and the UOG Endowment Fund.
Reimethau (People of the Ocean) Sacred Tree Park: A Cultural Memory Project
Reimethau Sacred Tree Park: A Cultural Memory Project endeavors to support the indigenous people of low-lying atolls located in the Caroline Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, to include Lamotrek, Satawal and Puluwat to ensure cultural continuity and a way into the future in preparation for the imminent submergence of their homelands to rising sea levels as a direct result of the global climate crisis by supporting efforts to preserve their respective written, oral, cultural and ancestral inheritances.
I estoria-ta: Guam, the Mariana Islands and chamorro culture
Contributing Artist. Un Proyecto del ciclo <<Démosle la vuelta al mundo>>. Programa oficial del V Centenario de la Primera Vuelta al Mundo. Museo Nacional de Antropología. Ministerio de Cultura t Deporte y Acción Cultural Española
I Hineggen Chamorro: Peoples of the Marianas and Their Colonial Records in Espana y Las Islas Marianas: Una Historia Compartida. Carlos Madrid and Melissa Taitano. Presented at the 5th Annual Marianas History Conference. Available here through Guampedia. Originally published in Spanish by LaUNED.
Abstract
The perceived absence of native Chamorro voices in historical records created during the Spanish colonial administration (1668-1899) erroneously implies the absence of direct or indirect native agency in records’ creation resulting in a singular, dominant narrative. The documentary heritage of the Mariana Islands began in the context of hegemonic power relations that privileged written accounts over oral traditions, pursuing religious and nation-building aspirations to the obstruction of native lifeways and ways of knowing. A critical use of the colonial records may yield historical narratives in which native voices and perspectives are not absent, but instead retain a quality of functional silence to be treated as subjects worthy of scholarly inquiry. This article explores the direct and indirect role of native Chamorros in records’ creation during the Spanish colonial period in the Mariana Islands. The archival silence(s), or perceived absence of native voices is addressed to advocate more robust, culturally competent, pluralistic narratives about the historical experience of native Chamorro peoples of the Mariana Islands.
Past Events
Works Previously on Exhibit
Nov 18, 2021 - Mar 6, 2022
Fo'na Dreaming
A modern artistic impression of the legend of Sirena with Fo'na, the first woman of Chamorro ancestry, as the centrical figure. Carved in Ifit wood harvested from Yigo, Guam. Ornamented with acrylic paint and epoxy resin. Size: 51cm x 20cm (2020)
The Unburdening
Incorporating the ecological landscape of the Mariana Islands, Chamorro cosmological concepts of life and time, and, Fo'na, the first woman of Chamorro ancestry, a central figure. Carved in Ifit wood harvested from Yigo, Guam. Ornamented with acrylic paint, epoxy resin, rock, and shell inlay from the Ylig River, Talofofo, Guam. Size: 23cm x 58 cm. (2020)
The Love Letter, By a Modern Traditional Navigator
Nuanced with Micronesian traditional navigation symbolism and is meant to inspire joy, love, and peace to its recipient. Carved in Ifit wood harvested from Yigo, Guam. Ornamented with acrylic paint and epoxy resin. Size: 51cm x 20cm (2020)
Hataf (Frigate Bird)
An homage to the people of the Carolinian Islands from Polowat, Satawal, and Lamotrek, for gifting the sacred knowledge of traditional navigation to the Chamorro people of the Marianas. Carved in Da'ok wood harvested from Mangilao, Guam. Ornamented with acrylic paint and epoxy resin. Size: 51cm x 20cm (2020)