Guampedia Newsletter April 2020

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Hafa Adai, As we all navigate the uncharted and constantly changing waters of the coronavirus epidemic, this month’s Guampedia newsletter will try to offer some historical context, as well as some ways to help you and your familia during these trying times.

World War II: Shutdown and social distancing While the Japanese invasion of Guam saw much violence and brutality, and the end of the occupation was marked by the infamous war crimes and atrocities the Japanese committed, 1942 and 1943 were largely characterized by boredom, caused by conditions similar to today, among them: • lack of religious activity, • reduced social life, and • diminished classroom schooling.

Read Pale' Eric Forbes’ excellent essay about it, citing firsthand accounts, here.

COVID-19 isn’t Guam’s first epidemic The people of Guam have faced outbreaks of deadly diseases before. Here is a look at some of them:

The ‘Spanish Flu’ The current coronavirus epidemic isn’t the first that has struck Guam. But it is the first that has had such a powerful impact in a long time. The last epidemic that affected Guam and the world to a similar degree was the worldwide influenza pandemic in 1918-19. On Guam, the “Spanish Flu” – as the disease was called because the free Spanish press was the first to extensively report on it during World The very young and the elderly War I – killed 858 people in two were especially vulnerable. months.

There has been speculation that the epidemic may have some connection to Guam’s lytico-bodig patients, most of whom were born before 1920.

However, there is no hard evidence to support this.

Geneaologist Jillette LeonGuerrero, in her paper for the 3rd Marianas History Conference, writes: “Brought to Guam on board the military transport ship the USS Logan, the ‘Spanish Flu’ killed over 6% of the The CHamoru nurses in this photo dated island population. The very young and the elderly between 1910 and 1920 likely were on the front line in the fight against the Spanish Flu were especially on Guam. Photo donated to Guampedia by vulnerable. Because of the Dr. Anne P. Hattori. Originally from the high rate of mortality in Smithsonian Collection the elderly, it has been Continued on Page 2

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Keep your young ones engaged and learning with the Guam Experience Activity Book If you’re looking for activities to keep young kids busy, entertained and learning while they’re cooped up at home, try the “Guam Experience Activity Book: Cultural and Silebråsion Activities for Young Children.”

This 34-page activity book contains CHamoru- and Guam-centric stories, worksheets and fun activities to use in the classroom or at home.

Also, check out fun, educational and locally made videos for kids at here. Nihi! is an indigenous production house based in Guåhan, committed to uplifting indigenous voices and stories from the Marianas and across Micronesia.

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said that over 80% of those who spoke Spanish perished because of the epidemic. For today’s elderly, it is not uncommon for Guam residents to not know who their great grandparents were.

For those who do, they know very little about their lives.”

Among those caught up in the epidemic was Jose Duenas, who had the arduous and dangerous task of keeping tab of the hundreds killed by the flu. He was the father of retired Federal District Court Judge Cristobal C. Duenas and pre-war Attorney Edward Duenas, and the brother of Father Jesus Baza Duenas, renowned both in war and peace.

Another was Father Roman Maria de Vera (1878-1959), a Catholic missionary on Guam from 1915 until 1941. In addition to being one of the first important writers in the CHamoru language, de Vera, during Father Roman de Vera the influenza epidemic of 1918, took the leadership in visiting the sick and burying the dead. For these efforts, he was given a special commendation

by US President Woodrow Wilson.

1856 smallpox epidemic According to Michael Levin, author and scholar of Micronesian migration, the The historical village of Pago was fronted by Pago Bay. The 1856 smallpox epidemic on Guam killed more than half the CHamoru of the people living on the island and two thirds of those in population Pago. The survivors were relocated to Hagåtña. reached its lowest point in 1786 although the mestizo population in censuses increased at the same time. Although Guam’s population had recovered to 8,207 by 1856, a devastating smallpox epidemic in that year killed over half of these people (down to 3,644) and essentially closing down the central village of Pago until it was briefly used in the early 1890s for a leper colony.

Two-thirds of the villagers of Pago died. The survivors were relocated to Hagåtña and the mission there was closed.

Also about this time, Sumay became a mission station dependent on Agat.

One of those who survived the 1856 epidemic was Jose Bernardo The April 1940 edition of the Guam Recorder tells of the discovery of an Palomo y Torres, who was later 1856 graveyard in 1918, during ordained the first CHamoru excavations for the construction of a Catholic priest and was known as Marine barracks in Asan.

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A still from “Self-Determination on Guam: The Rights We Fight For, Our Responsibility to Pursue It.” Courtesy of Lazaro Quinata

Binge-watching much? Take a break with some videos from Guampedia Guampedia has 82 videos available for you online. Here are some titles in the Voices of Our Elders series to get you started: • “Hasso’ Taotao Sumay” – James Perez Viernes, PhD., and former residents of Sumay talk about life in the village, and the meaning of the village to descendants of those who lived there. https://vimeo.com/304075029

Padre Palomo. In 1856, when Palomo was twenty, his parents died during the smallpox epidemic along with 5,532 others on Guam. The terrible epidemic, which killed sixty percent of the population in less than one year, convinced Palomo to enter the priesthood.

According to Palomo, the epidemic could have been avoided had a vessel, whose crew had thrown a smallpox victim overboard a day before entering Apra Harbor, been quarantined.

Instead, passengers were allowed to disembark, causing the epidemic which Palomo estimated reduced Guam’s In 1856, when Jose Bernardo Palomo y Torres was 20 years old, he lost both population from 9,065 to about his mother and father during the four thousand people. smallpox epidemic that killed more Following the 1856 smallpox than 5,500 people on Guam. epidemic, Governor Felipe María de la Corte (1855-1866) seriously considered a scheme to mix Chinese with Carolinians, so as to create a race that would be more resilient to disease.

• “The Mermaids That Saved Guam” – Antonia "Tan Tona" Degracia Castro tells her version of the legend of the Maidens that Saved Guam. https://vimeo.com/148591546 • “Litekyan” – Toni “Malia” Ramirez talks about the cultural and medicinal value, both historical and current, of the land at the northern tip of Guam. https://vimeo.com/146085606 Also, check out: • “Women and Religion in Chamorro Society” – Pale' Eric Forbes, OFM Cap., discusses the significance of women's roles in CHamoru Catholic society. https://vimeo.com/56889785 • “Self-Determination on Guam: The Rights We Fight For, Our Responsibility to Pursue It.” – Lazaro Quinata explores and gives an overview of the history of CHamorus’ quest for self-determination. https://vimeo.com/103691616 To browse Guampedia’s entire video collection on vimeo, go to: https://vimeo.com/guampedia

Because the Hagåtña Cemetery was too small to hold the many people who died during Guam’s influenza pandemic of 1949, most of the dead were buried in the yard of the lepers’ hospital on Adilog Point, also known as Adilok, Adilug, and now as Adelup. Learn more about the history and meanings of Adelup’s older names at paleric.blogspot.com. Photo courtesy of Pale’ Eric Forbes, OFM Cap.

1849, 1952-’53 flu pandemics

Influenza reached Guam's shores on January 7, 1849, brought by sailors from a whaling ship that had sailed from Hawaii. At its height the disease was killing as many as twenty-six people a day in Hagåtña alone with a final death toll of more than two hundred people. The epidemic killed a disproportionate number of young women, a few elderly people but no young children.

Governor Pablo Pérez wrote that during the epidemic, “the Santisimo (Holy Sacrament) was carried through the streets at all hours of the day and night.” Because the Hagåtña cemetery was considered too small, most of the victims were buried in the yard of the Hospital de lazarinos (lepers) in Adelup. The influenza scourge was recorded as having ended on January 25, the same day that a large earthquake, at four minutes to 3 pm and lasting a Continued on Page 4

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Guma Yo’åmte Rosalia Fejeran Mateo Torres, known as Mama Chai, is one of the island’s leading figures in traditional healing.

In response to the outbreak of COVID19, all Guma Yo’Åmte clinics have been closed temporarily.

However, people can contact Mama Chai or her apprentice to treat ailments afflicting children or for emergencies.

• Mama Chai: 727-6799 • Marleen Mateo, apprentice: 727-9633 • Zita Pangelinan, Haya Foundation president: 727-7717

Traditional healing in the time of COVID-19 Much of what we know of ancient CHamoru medical practices comes from oral histories passed down through generations and from the accounts of early European explorers and missionaries. These accounts describe specialists known as makåna who treated illnesses and dealt with other matters between the earth and spiritual realm. Although the introduction of Catholicism and Spanish colonization effectively eradicated the makåna of the ancient CHamoru culture, the knowledge and practice of traditional healing survived, maintained today by modern CHamoru practitioners known as suruhåna or yo’åmte. These traditional healers used medicinal plants, massage, application of body lotion (pålai), and dietary advice (madieta) to treat various ailments.

The practice of traditional healing has been kept alive by yo’åmte throughout the island and, more recently, through the Håya Cultural Heritage and Preservation Foundation (Håya Foundation). The non-profit was established in 2005 to advance the well-being of island residents by establishing Guma Yo'Åmte, the first traditional healing center on the island; and by, among other things, conducting research into traditional healing techniques and collaborating with indigenous traditional healers throughout the world to share knowledge and experience.

Today, one of the island’s leading figures in traditional healing is Rosalia Fejeran Mateo Torres, known affectionately as Mama Chai. Mama Chai began her apprenticeship under yo'åmte Regina Terlaje when she was only 19 and has continued to serve the island as a traditional healer for 64 years. In 2014, she joined the Håya Foundation, and in 2016 she and several other yo’åmte helped establish Guma Yo’Åmte. Guma Yo’Åmte is at Saggan Kotturan CHamoru and serves about 490 clients per month. In 2018 alone, Mama Chai helped about 1,312 clients. She’s also worked to to open Guma Yo’Åmte clinics in Yona and Agat; and helped develop the Yo’Åmte Apprenticeship Program, to ensure the traditional healing knowledge is passed on to future generations.

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minute and a half, struck the island, causing substantial damage to the Colegio de San Juan de Letrán and causing a newly constructed tower to collapse onto the San Ignacio church.

In 1952-’53, an epidemic of Aprime influenza swept across the northern hemisphere. The outbreaks began in Japan and the United States in December 1952, had spread into much of northern Europe, Canada, Alaska, Central America and Jamaica by January of ’53, and, Many graves at the

by February, had made its way US Naval Cemetery in Hagåtña are for to southern Europe, north infants who died in Africa, Guam, the Marshall 1952 and ’53.

Islands and the Philippines, according to the World Health Organization.

Other epidemics, depopulation Guam of the late 18th century only had a population of about 2,000. The CHamoru people were in a state of recovery following many years of the ravages of disease and warfare. The CHamoru Rebellion of the late 17th century had ended all resistance against the Spanish Crown, but Western diseases — diphtheria, smallpox, and influenza — also caused widespread destruction. By the time the Spanish conducted the 1786 census, it was reported there were only 1,318 indigenous CHamorus.

Epidemics in 1683 and 1690 probably also had far-reaching effects on Guam, according to scholar Jane Underwood, but a smallpox epidemic in 1699-1700 had a serious impact, although, according to author and teacher Stephen J. Kunitz, social disruption Hurao is one of the most caused by the celebrated chiefs on Guam. With Spanish, in part by the backing of village spiritual forced migrations leaders, he was key in instigating to Guam villages, the Spanish-CHamoru War, which lasted on Guam from was “at least as 1670 to 1684. The war and significant in subsequent disease epidemics causing high killed many people on Guam, mortality as is the reducing the number of virulence of the indigenous CHamorus to just 1,318 by 1786. Illustration by infectious agent Jose “Malet” Garrido itself.”

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