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About the Marianas Storytelling Series
The Marianas Storytelling Series is an ongoing cultural initiative and community program dedicated to celebrating and preserving the histories and voices of the Mariana Islands. The series was founded in 2024 by Guampedia, in partnership with the Guam Museum Foundation, to honor CHamoru/Chamorro and Carolinian traditions of oral storytelling while also highlighting the new ways that islanders are documenting and sharing their histories.
Storytelling has always been the lifeblood of the Marianas. For thousands of years, families gathered to pass on legends, genealogies, and lessons about the land and sea. Today, these stories continue to serve as bridges between generations. They connect us to our ancestors, help us navigate the challenges of the present, and give voice to the dreams we hold for the future.
The Marianas Storytelling Series builds on this foundation, offering a platform where films, performances, and oral histories are woven together into public events that are equal parts celebration, reflection, and dialogue.
By curating screenings, panel discussions, and community events, the series creates opportunities for elders, cultural practitioners, artists, and everyday residents to share their experiences. Each program reminds us that history is not only what is written in books but also lives in memory, song, and practice.
The Marianas Storytelling Series is more than a cultural program, it is an extension of Guampedia’s mission to make the knowledge, culture, and heritage of the Marianas accessible to everyone. By capturing stories in both digital and live formats, the series ensures that our islands’ history is not only archived online but also felt in community spaces.
The series moves across mediums to embrace the range and diversity of islander-centric storytelling. Placing a strong emphasis on showcasing films that have been both historically significant and contemporarily produced within the region, the series serves as a visual narrative that encapsulates the stories, struggles, and triumphs of the Chamorro people. By bringing these cinematic works to the forefront, we highlight the importance of self-representation and the power of storytelling in shaping cultural identity.
In addition to the film screenings, the series will feature in-depth discussions with community members, filmmakers, historians, and storytellers. These dialogues are designed to provide deeper context, unpacking the themes presented in the films and connecting them to the lived experiences of the audience. By fostering greater community engagement, the program aims to create a collaborative space where stories are not only told but also collectively understood and appreciated.
As the series grows, Guampedia remains committed to expanding the record of our people’s experiences, honoring the past, engaging the present, and preparing the stories that will guide future generations.
The Marianas Storytelling Series is rooted in the following objectives:
- Empower the Community: Provide a platform for voices within the Chamorro community to share their stories and perspectives.
- Educate and Inspire: Offer educational content that enlightens audiences about the rich history and culture of the Marianas.
- Foster Dialogue: Create spaces for meaningful conversations that bridge generational and cultural gaps.
- Promote Cultural Preservation: Encourage the preservation of traditions, languages, and practices that are integral to Chamorro identity.
- Strengthen Partnerships: Build lasting relationships with organizations and individuals committed to the cultural vitality of the Marianas.
2025 Marianas Storytelling
Part I of IV: Archaeology, DNA, & History
As the first of four Saturday matinee programs in 2025, this installment explored the intersections of archaeology, family genealogy, and DNA studies.
By blending science with personal memory, the program illustrated how new research deepens our understanding of island history and ancestry.
In this installment, Guam’s Territorial Archaeologist, Dr. John Peterson, and State Historic Preservation Officer Patrick Lujan, shared insights into Guam’s archaeological landscape and discussed efforts to preserve and protect our ancestors’ belongings and remains. In the second half of the program, Baltazar Bordallo Aguon, the first Y-DNA match to pre-Latte and Latte ancestral remains from Baton in Guam and Anaguan in Saipan, shared his journey of connecting his ancestry.
Finally, Humanities Guåhan and Beau Aguon premiered their first film in the series “Knowing Our History Through Chant: A CHamoru-Carolinian Cultural Memory Project.” This short documentary illustrates how chants in the Marianas and Pulowat teach and preserve our shared history and cultural heritage.
A conversation following the screening featured Guam Master of Chant Leonard Iriarte, traditional navigators Larry Raigetal, Baskas Mark, Dr. Melissa Taitano, and Iseah Yarofyan, all Pairourou of Haboylol, along with HG’s Executive Director, CJ Ochoco.
Part II of IV: Kånta, Courtship, & Kasamiento
Centered on music and family life, this installment of the series looked at how Chamorro songs carry messages of courtship, kinship, and love.
Through performance and discussion, this program revealed the cultural rhythms that continue to shape island relationships and community bonds. The event kicked off with a special screening of Guam’s History in Songs, a 1993 film remastered by Carlos Soto Barretto.
The screening was followed by a reflection from Dr. Michael R. Clement Jr., an esteemed scholar of the cultural significance of Chamorro language music, and an associate professor at the University of Guam. Next, the audience was treated to a kitchen table conversation featuring Chamorro music icons Flora Baza Quan and Patrick Palomo.
Transitioning into the second half of the program on courtship, Dr. Judy Selk Flores shared a presentation on the Chamorro tradition of amaga’. Dr. Flores recounted stories of Chamorro courtship and marriage in the twentieth century. She was joined by Chamorro language educators and cultural advocates Señora Teresita Concepcion Flores and Siñot Ray Barcinas.
The program closed with a talk from Guam Museum curator Dr. Michael Lujan Bevacqua on the Museum’s community-driven exhibit “Ha’ånen Kasamiento: Evolving CHamoru Wedding Traditions.”
Part III of IV: Celebration & Commemoration
This double-feature engaged with how islanders mark life’s milestones—both joyful and solemn. It paired films and performances honoring the vitality of youth with tributes to veterans, showing the ways that celebration and commemoration are intertwined in Chamorro culture.
This installment begin with a celebration of Chamorro cultural narratives, featuring stories from M.U. Lujan Elementary School’s CHamoru studies program students, winners of the Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency’s (CAHA) Poetry Out Loud program, and winners of the Department of Youth Affairs’ 2025 Oratorical Contest.
Next, we screened the film Maisa: The CHamoru Girl Who Saves Guåhan. Based on a cherished Chamorro legend, the film tells the story of a young girl who, through courage and wisdom, leads the women of Guåhan in defending their island against a formidable threat from the Marianas Trench. The film was introduced by Rufina Mendiola and Ronald T. Laguana, and followed by a presentation from Nedine Songeni, Program Manager from Humanities Guåhan, on the Motheread/Fatheread Family Literacy Program.
The afternoon segment of the program, Commemorating Our Veterans, was led by CJ Ochoco of Humanities Guåhan, and featured a kitchen table conversation with Dr. Robert Underwood, Marine Corps veteran Roy Gamboa, and Maj. Gen. Esther Aguigui reflecting on service, sacrifice, and cultural pride.
Part IV of IV: WWII's Living History & Legacy
The closing program of the series’ second year returned to the stories of World War II, this time focusing on how the legacy of that period continues to shape our islands. Survivors, descendants, and historians came together in an intergenerational dialogue, ensuring that the lessons of the past are not lost.
This installment featured a presentation on the Mariana Islands Wartime Experience through Oral Histories Fellowship by Dr. Jennifer Craig and Guampedia managing director Rita Pangelinan Nauta, and the premier of the National Park Service WWII Marianas True History reel produced by Guampedia and Simon Sanchez III.
This was followed by a Pacific Historic Parks presentation from Nicole Calvo, and a special screening of Hasso yan Onra – Mañenggon by Nihi Indigenous Media. We were joined by Col. Joaquin “Danny” S. Santos, Jr., USMC Ret., who shared his journey to Mañenggon and the lessons he learned from WWII. The program closed with a kitchen table conversation with Nicole Calvo, Dr. Jennifer Craig, and Rita Pangelinan Nauta.
2024 Marianas Storytelling
Through our Marianas Storytelling: Land and Lineage Saturday matinee series, we launched a month-long celebration of Chamorro culture through film in partnership with the Guam Museum Foundation, the Department of CHamoru Affairs, PBS Guam, and the Guam International Film Festival, with support from Pacific Islanders in Communication.
Over the course of three Saturdays during Mes CHamoru 2024, the Marianas Storytelling series featured short films that reflect the diversity, creativity, and brilliance of Chamorro stories throughout the Marianas archipelago.
Our inaugural program, held on 2 March 2024, was themed Connecting Culture Through Music. This installment of the series celebrated the film Tradewinds by Mighty Island and the Manamko’ to Manhoben feature on Señot Vicente ‘Ben’ Meno and Kåntan Chamorrita.
On 16 March 2024, the second installment premiered. Centered on the theme From Our Ancestors, this program featured Guampedia’s I Tinituhon, a retelling of the Chamorro creation story, and a film on traditional healing. We were honored to be joined by Saipan suruhånu and educator Señot Donald Mendiola as a live speaker.
On 23 March 2024, we hosted the Guam premiere of the film Promesa by Dr. Lola Quan Bautista.
The film screenings, alongside select interactive sessions with our celebrated cultural practitioners, foregrounded the ancestral practice of storytelling as a dynamic vessel for perpetuating our culture.
The Marianas Storytelling series aims to encourage our community to continue seeking out the stories that propel our people and our islands forward. As the first pulan in the Chamorro lunar calendar, Tumaiguini reminds us that it has always been our way to attend to the ancestral knowledge that is woven into our language and through the stories that our people tell.
Connecting Culture through Language & Music
Our inaugural program theme was Connecting Culture Through Music (celebrating the film Tradewinds by Mighty Island, and the Manamko’ to Manhoben feature on Señot Vicente ‘Ben’ Meno and Kåntan CHamorita).
Ginen I Man Mofotna/Mañainata
16 March
FILM:” I Tinituhon” by Guampedia, CHamoru/Chamorro Creation Myth – Origins & Connections
FILM: “Attituyi i Åmot-ta” by HAYA
LIVE: Traditional Healer & Saipan Educator, Señot Donald Mendiola along with local traditional
healers.
The first gathering in the series set the tone by returning to the beginning—our origins. Audiences watched Guampedia’s animated short I Tinituhon and were treated to a live presentation by a traditional healer from Saipan, underscoring the continuity of ancestral knowledge and practice.
Kostumbren CHamoru/Chamorro
23 March
Reflection on Kostumbre – Pale Eric Forbes
Guam Premiere of “Promesa”
Film: “Halom Hikes (Fouha)”
Film: “Island Time”
Discussion featuring Kåntan Chamorita
Conversation on CHamoru/Chamorro
Genealogy
Film: “Kantan Hereru: The Blacksmith’s Song”
This installment centered on the living customs of the Chamorro people, from improvisational singing to the small rituals that shape daily life. The program featured the Guam premiere of Promesa and a revival of Kåntan Chamorita, reminding audiences that tradition is not only preserved but constantly reimagined.
Ti Gueran Mami
30 March
LIVE: National Park Service WWII True History Project, Dr. Jennifer Craig, Mellon Fellow
FILM: We Drank Our Tears by Dr. Galvin DeLeon Guerrero, Filmmaker & Pres. NMI Community College
FILM: War for Guam by Frances Negrón-Muntaner, Co-Producers Baltazar Aguon & Michael Lujan Bevacqua
Focusing on the WWII experience of islanders, this event paired powerful documentaries such as We Drank Our Tears and War for Guam with personal testimonies from survivors and their families. It was an evening of remembrance, acknowledging the pain of war while affirming the resilience of the Marianas community.
American Memorial Park
18 April
The National Park Service, in partnership with Guampedia Foundation, presented “Marianas Storytelling: Land & Lineage” at American Memorial Park on 18 April 2024, beginning at 5:30 pm.
Taking the series beyond Guam, this program shared films and conversations at the American Memorial Park in Saipan. The event strengthened ties between Guåhan and the Northern Mariana Islands, highlighting that the Marianas story is not confined to one island but is shared across the chain.
Marianas Storytelling
7 December
LIVE: Introduction of National Park Service project: WWil True History
Film Screening of “Promesa”
FILM Screening of “Tradewinds”
MicrONEsia Voyaging
FILMS:
• Carving the Canoe (25:41)
• Spirits of the Voyage (1:28:21)
• The Incredible Sail of Lamotrek (27:35)
This event honored the navigational genius of Micronesian seafarers. Documentaries such as Carving the Canoe, Spirits of the Voyage, and The Incredible Sail of Lamotrek were screened, showing how canoe-building and celestial navigation remain vibrant traditions that connect the Marianas to a larger Pacific identity.