Today is Guam History and Chamorro Heritage Day. Most of us may be aware that Guam is a former Spanish colony. Others may recognize it as the home of several U.S. military bases. But what many don’t know is the story of the island itself — the incredible people, culture, and heritage. Guam is the largest island in Micronesia and home to the indigenous Chamorro people. Over centuries of colonialism and turmoil, the songs, language, and soul of the Chamorro lie forgotten, but Guam History and Chamorro Heritage Day reclaims some of these lost narratives. It is a day of traditional song, dance, food, and storytelling and isn’t just a celebration of the Chamorro identity but provides a vision for their future.
Guam History and Chamorro Heritage Day was once a commemoration of the anniversary of the island’s discovery by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Over the years, the spirit and tenor of the day have evolved. Magellan’s discovery of Guam signaled the beginning of the end for the island’s indigenous Chamorro people. For every Guamanian, it’s a painful reminder of 400 years of colonization as Spain, the U.S., and Japan battled each other for administrative control. Eventually, the islanders paid the highest price. The Chamorro all but lost their culture and identity. After World War II, Guam became an unincorporated territory of the U.S. and is a strategic U.S. naval base in the Pacific today.
Take that apartment 813B!
Moon Pie
And who or what (besides AI)
has created these works of
pure architectural genius?
In future posts, would you like
to go inside for a tour?
Today is the birthday, in 1678, of Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Along with Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel, Vivaldi ranks amongst the greatest Baroque composers and his influence during his lifetime was widespread across Europe, giving origin to many imitators and admirers. He pioneered many developments in orchestration, violin technique and programmatic music. He consolidated the emerging concerto form into a widely accepted and followed idiom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LiztfE1X7E
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