Guam Community College
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GUAM COMMUNITY COLLEGE G Project Title: Go’ti Yan Adahi I Fino’ta UAM Chamorro Award Amount: $593,459 Type of Grant: Native Languages Project Period: Sept. 2009 – Sept. 2012 Grantee Type: Public Education Institution PROJECT SNAPSHOT Chamorros in Guam combined with migration from other ethnic origins hinders 4 full-time equivalent jobs created the public use of the Chamorro language, 32 Elders involved and has weakened the Native language and culture on Guam. Language teachers have 132 youth involved indicated their resources are very limited, $81,650 in resources leveraged and they continue to express the need to 22 partnerships formed have more media forms in Chamorro. 2 language surveys developed In 2007, GCC conducted a survey to assess the status of the Chamorro language and 1,800 language surveys completed analyzed the results from the 566 Chamorro 50 youth increased their ability to speak respondents: 96 percent indicated it is a Native language important to preserve the language; 86 percent wanted to learn to speak Chamorro; 100 adults increased their ability to and 91 percent preferred the instruction tool speak a Native language to be CD, DVD, or video. BACKGROUND PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES Guam is an organized, unincorporated Based on the survey results, the purpose of territory of the U.S. located in the western this project was to revive, promote, and Pacific Ocean, with an indigenous Chamorro preserve the bond to the Chamorro past by population comprising over 37 percent of producing learning modules in Fino’ Håya, the population. Accredited since 1979 and the indigenous language of Guam. The the island’s only community college, Guam modules would cover the history of the Community College (GCC) is a multi- Chamorro people, word origin, legends, cultural, multi-ethnic career and technical environment, descriptions of the ancient way educational institution. Although the of life, and traditional names of plants, majority of the student population is illnesses, and cures. These modules were Chamorro and the school offers classes in meant to benefit Guam’s students and Chamorro language, the declining number of increase the usage of the Native language. 53 The project’s objective was to produce and available, and over 160 Chamorro teachers distribute 16 scripts in digital form. can access supplemental language resources. Students expressed a desire to learn the OUTCOMES AND COMMUNITY IMPACT indigenous Fino’ Håya language, rather than the Spanish-Chamorro that has become most Project staff reported they witnessed a UAM prevalent. Therefore, the project team higher level of interest in and awareness of G worked with a linguist to isolate original the Fino’ Håya language as a result of this words and compare them to other project. There was some skepticism from Austronesian languages for authenticity. those who thought ancient Chamorro was Through many successful partnerships, lost, but the DVDs have shown the project staff completed 16 Fino’ Håya community the language still exists, and has DVDs with sights, sounds, and historical built a foundation for the next level of accounts. The linguist, a fluent Fino’ Håya revitalization. Students reported using the speaker, narrated all the videos using only videos to learn words and speak them at pre-contact Chamorro. Project staff felt the home; one student stated the project DVDs will complement existing language strengthened his family and cultural classes in schools and postsecondary connections, and influenced him to be more institutions because learners can hear committed to the language. phrases in their simplest form and gain Much discussion about the pre-contact proficiency at their own pace by speaking language also has resurfaced. For example, after the narrator, while also learning the University of Guam changed Spanish- Chamorro culture and history. Chamorro to Fino’ Håya in titles, posters, The completed titles include: Prelatte and and greetings as a result of this project, and Latte Period; Origins of Fino’ Håya; Pottery there is pending legislation to reintroduce of the Ancient People; Ocean, Land, the Native language as an integral part of the th Heavens, and Moon; Ancient Wordlists; kindergarten through 12 grade curriculum. Everyday Phrases; Flying Proa; Ancient The project director reported the project Lunar Calendar and Counting; Chanting, addressed the problem of limited resources Singing, Dancing; ABCs in Fino’ Håya; and media forms available in Chamorro, as Cooking Methods; Plants and Animals; well as revitalized the Fino’ Håya language. Ancient Fishing and Farming Tools; The She stated, “We are beginning to see the Gifting (Coconut) Tree; Ancient Village impact within our communities, and the Names; and Ancient Medicines. passion it is instilling in some of our young Project staff ordered 300 copies of each title, Native people.” As learners become aware which they will distribute to language of the authentic indigenous words, they teachers, schools, universities, libraries, and begin to use those alternatives to the Spanish other partners. GCC will market and sell words that have been perpetuated. This is additional copies to the general public Guam’s first language revitalization project through its bookstore. GCC also created a to use the ancient language and present Fino’ Håya You Tube channel, and project Chamorro ancestral roots using film. staff uploaded 11 videos by the end of the project period with plans to upload all 16 “The films brought many students to titles; during the project, the YouTube appreciate our culture and language channel had 4,140 views. Approximately 6 much, much, more than ever.” hours of Native Chamorro historical Chamorro Language Teacher accounts, visuals, and spoken words are now 54 PA’A TAOTAO TANO’ G Project Title: Eskuelan Maestro Kutturan UAM Chamorro: Chamorro Cultural Preservation Apprentice Project Award Amount: $944,707 Type of Grant: Social and Economic Development Strategies Project Period: Sept. 2009 – Sept. 2012 Grantee Type: Native Nonprofit PROJECT SNAPSHOT traditions. Consequently, there are an inadequate number of indigenous Chamorro 9 full-time equivalent jobs created cultural instructors on Guam, and the need 15 Elders involved to create and train such instructors in Chamorro dance, chants, songs, and 75 youth involved weaving is critical to the survival of the $19,200 in resources leveraged Native culture. 22 individuals trained PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES 11 partnerships formed The purpose of the project was to ensure the BACKGROUND preservation and perpetuation of Chamorro culture by establishing an apprentice Pa’a Taotao Tano’ (way of life of the people program to develop existing indigenous of the land) is a nonprofit cultural cultural practitioners to become maestro organization, incorporated in 2001. Pa’a’s kutturan Chamorro (Chamorro cultural mission is to preserve, perpetuate, and instructors). These instructors will teach promote the cultural traditions of the and promote Guam’s indigenous traditions indigenous Chamorro people of Guam and of Chamorro dance, chants, songs, and the Marianas Islands. Guam’s Chamorro weaving. culture has undergone many challenges, including years of occupation by outside The first objective was to develop and forces including Spain, Japan, and the U.S. produce a standard for cultural instructors Guam now is almost completely and a guide manual on cultural traditions. Westernized due to its political status as an Project staff completed the standard for unincorporated U.S. territory. cultural instructors in the first project year, as the culmination of efforts beginning in The influences that come with years of 2007. In June 2012 the Guam Board of colonization have threatened the existence Education (BOE) approved the standards, and continuation of indigenous Chamorro which include a full-year course curriculum 55 and tools for teachers, as part of a Chamorro cultural traditions. Through cultural traditional arts program for middle and high activities in six villages, 256 residents schools, effective for the 2012-2013 school learned Chamorro dance, chants, songs and year. Project staff also completed the guide weaving, and six new community groups, or manual, “Bailian I Taotao Tano—The “cultural houses,” were established. UAM Chamorro Dance Manual: Chamorro OUTCOMES AND COMMUNITY IMPACT G Dances, Costumes, Songs, and Chants,” which will serve as a classroom text for the Although the demand from the community approved course. A recognized Master of was there, prior to this project cultural Chamorro Dance carried out the preparation teaching in the schools was very limited. for the manual, an extension of his research Now, with the ability to become certified, efforts that began in the 1970s. After the cultural instructors can obtain employment manual was finalized, staff printed 200 in the public school system. While copies and distributed them to cultural becoming a master of Chamorro culture apprentices, universities, schools, and takes many years of study and commitment, libraries on Guam. Together, the standard and learning is a continuous process, this for instructors and guide manual meet BOE project has allowed cultural apprentices the requirements to include Chamorro language opportunity to make a living while devoting and culture in the public school curriculum. time to learning the culture. The second objective was for six cultural In addition to culture, the apprentices trained apprentices to complete intensive cultural on appropriate