Three CHamoru Diaspora Speak about their Experiences and CHamoru Identity

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[raymantanona]

Thank you brother Pulan for your channel.

[oxytoxin]

I really appreciate this video. I found out last year during quarantine in the Mainland that I'm actually half CHamoru. I had spent most of my life having this part of me erased (as both my parents who raised me are white) with only little bits of clues here and there. Since then, more of me has made sense and I'm trying to reclaim an identity and community that I've been disconnected from. Thank you so much.

[danadetterich]

I grew up (in the 1980s) feeling proud that I was part CHamoru, but had NO other children to talk about it with nor explore my heritage with. In school when I tried to share about Guam, the children made fun of me, accused me of making it up, and said it wasn't a real place. Sadly, the adults didn't stop them or even validate me. I also grew up with people asking me "what I was." Even my own che'lu didn't embrace our grandma's, our, culture. I believe these experiences were why I wanted to spend so many weekends and summers with my grandma and grandpa. I felt very connected to her and our CHamrou culture. I would go with her and my grandpa to San Diego to hang out with our CHamoru family. I loved how lively and fun they were! They would talk to me in CHamoru and I loved it. I am the one in my family who knows how to cook CHamoru food and understands the language and attitudes the most.

Your shows and the UmeyakCHamoru website have fed my heart and mind since my dad died, which made me feel cut off from it all. Thank you for discussing these issues of identity.

[kingdanett]

For me I have a hard time being a Half CHamorro, half White born in Washington. Ive never been on the Island and it makes me often feel like a fraud. I have a large family whose been born amd raised on the island who do tell me Im CHamorro but its still kinda tough not to have that identity chris. Especially living in a place where me and my Father are the only Islanders in town

[guamaniangabriel]

What a spread of common themes across my mixed American Indian / Chamoru background. Working with Native American college students these themes span the spectrum... for me, this makes the video of the month, if not the year for me so far.

[vppollack]

I was born in Guam . Father PI & Mother Chamorou . Our Father sent for us after he left the Island back in 1956. Growing up didn’t think about who we are. Parents never really made it appoint to let us know our nationality. It was til I was a teen. When my mother took our family back to Guam in the 70s my brothers & Sisters was able to learn the language. Didn’t go back to Guam when I went back in 84. This was my first experience living in Guam for 18 mos. since then I have gone back to visit.

[saipansoul]

I convinced myself back in 2012 that I would never move back to the CNMI. When I visited Saipan in 2015, I noticed the change and I was actually homesick when I got back to NY. 2016 I moved back and I find it hard to leave now. I think many of us still have that strong connection to the homeland.

[ArchaeologyStudio]

Wow, thank you for making this mature video about diaspora and identity - - and thank you to CJ, Alaina, and Rich (Alyssa) for sharing your personal experiences! Your conversation brings out so many issues about the shared experiences of diaspora while also acknowledging the individual differences, plus the aspects of continually growing in identity. I hope that your video will encourage more discussions!

[none-jcxr]

Guam is like an island city. Now it belongs to US, Micronesia, and the Philippines. Great island, I would never leave Guam if I were Chamorro. Been there and enjoy it very much. Great things the island can offer.

[UntilTheEnd]

I have never heard of “diaspora, ” I had only heard of “state side” and only because my cousins who had been back to Guam were called that. I remember one of them saying it was just said a lot while they were there by other kids. I grew up in Kitsap county and a lot of my Chamorro side is here but I mostly know them and not my family on Guam. My dad is a cook so I grew up immersed in my cultures food and going to Catholic Church events where Chamorros outside of my family were.
I know very little of the language and I want to know so much more about stories and our ancestors.

A lot of people can’t place my heritage and typically ask if I’m mixed with Filipina, Mexican or Latinx, which doesn’t offend me. It also provides a moment for me to educate people a little bit on the language, the proper terms, and where Guam is.

I’m so glad to have found this channel and I plan on watching more podcasts.

[yttudela]

I’m a Chamorro from Fort Worth Tx, I never been home 🏝 but I Claim it to the Fullest 💪🏽. I commonly get mistaken as mexican lol but we stop that in its tracks 😂 . Don’t be AFRAID TO EMBRACE YOUR HERITAGE 🤙🏽 @Alaina the darker the skin, Deeper the Roots 🌺 TAOTAO TANO ❤️ oneLove

[jesuscastro]

Be proud of being chamorro, nothing to be embarrassed about.

[BD-rpyf]

my second time coming back to this video to reemphasize my growing need to reiterate the diaspora Chamoru perspective. Growing up in grade school in the 90s on Guam, there was a strong stigma of stateside Chamorus thinking they're better than us just because they're living in the "mainland". Sen magof yu para modern technology and social media for helping us grow in our perceptions on Chamorus in the diaspora. Everything we heard or misheard growing up about our brothers and sisters in the states is so false and dumb lol I'm unashamed to admit that I had to unlearn a lot of those misconceptions. All about cleansing the toxicities in our local community but more importantly
in myself. All of you did great in this interview. Si yu'os ma'ase'. Biba Marianas and Biba todu i taotaotano near and far.

[fieroce]

Very enjoyable podcast. Thanks you each of the participants and to Pulan for such interesting and important discussion.
Si Yu’us Ma’ase. From Chicago

[guamaniangabriel]

All great videos and content but I really like this topic - how applicable for so many of our people. Thank you for your work. Si yu'us ma'ase.

[jasmineleonardi]

My familia is Ecca Blas. My grandmother is Aflague married to Blas from Sinajåña.

[gatekeeper]

Chelu, now that I see it you can pass as Pakistani lol. No offense to my Pakistani people but Hafa Adai to all my brothers who want to embrace their roots.

[rhodium]

I see Chamorros closer to latinos than Anglos or Chinese...

[gatekeeper]

Alaina, I’m offering 1, 000 sinahis for your love lol. 😍 sheesh. God bless you my lady.

[ForgottenInTheShadow]

Everything good until the African Asian spoke @19:23 she seemed more judgement than she was educational. Less make up and more truth?