Kumisión I Fino’ Chamoru launches Quest for Self-Determination display at GPO

As we celebrate Mes CHamoru, the Kumision I Fino’ CHamoru, in collaboration with Guam Premier Outlets, are doing their part in providing critical educational resources for the public, with a month-long exhibit display of the CHamoru quest for self-determination. 

Monday marks the official kick-off of Mes CHamoru, a time dedicated to honoring and preserving the local culture, language, tradition, and history.  As the official coordinating body for islandwide celebrations, the Kumisión I Fino’ Chamoru Yan Fina’nå’guen I Historia Yan Lina’la’ I Taotao Tåno’ is charged with leading efforts to engage the public and support educational programming and cultural initiatives. 

As part of that effort, the Kumisión collaborating with GPO, putting on a month-long display of its exhibit of the CHamoru quest for self-determination. Dr. Laura Souder is the Kumision’s chairperson and said, “We have QR codes where you can actually click the code and view some resources, primary resources that are featured in the exhibit. You‘ll be able to see and hear Hurao’s speech in both CHamoru and English, and testimonies to the United Nations and other features of the exhibit.”

The exhibit coming on the heels of the recent introduction of legislation seeking to amend Guam’s political status plebiscite law.  Dr. Souder on why resources like the exhibit are critical now more than ever, and the Kumision’s role in providing those supports — adding, “an informed citizenry is able to make informed decisions.” 

“Our people have been actively engaged in every generation, since we’ve been colonized, to achieve an end that has not yet been realized. The CHamoru people have not exercised their inalienable right to self-determination," she said.

“We would be remiss as a community that has been charged with the promotion and preservation of the CHamoru language, culture, and history, if we didn’t contribute to a better understanding of that history. So the exhibit was carefully designed with partners: the Guam Museum, the Commission on Decolonization, joined with us to create the content for this exhibit, and we’ve drawn from primary sources, and we’ve tried very hard to present the reality as it exists for the CHamoru people.”

In the meantime, the exhibit will be on display at GPO in Room 104 b until the end of March. 

It is also available as a digital tour.  For upcoming events this month, visit kumisionchamoru.guam.gov.