Here are a few CHamorus who posed for Manny Crisostomo’s ongoing visual documentary, “Manaotao Sanlagu, CHamorus from the Marianas.” First row from top, left to right: Kevin Lujan Lee; Alfred Duenas; Jimmy Camacho; Mariana Camacho; Linda Torres and Stephanie Flores. Second row, left to right: Tyler Jaye; Barbara Jaye; Bernadette Parnell; Julie Blanco; Nick Perez and Carmen Castro. Third row, left to right: Brian Perez; Tom Perez; Art Jackson Jr.; Tess Jackson; Doris Dydasco Reyes Jackson and Ignacio Unpingco Duenas. Fourth row, left to right: Remedios Cepeda Gogo; Jessica Cross; Gene Limtiaco; Carissa Limtiaco; Leilani Limtiaco and Jesse Gogo. Fifth row, left to right: Peter Quiambao Jr.; Aaron Davis; Mike Jackson; Aulii Taitano; Monette Pangelinan Quintanilla and Fraim Leon Guerrero. Sixth row, left to right: Drew Munoz; Vincent Medler; Jason Tenorio; Gil Quichocho; Jorge Cruz and Merrill Reyes. Seventh row, left to right: Carlo Naputi; Shane Schnabel; Andrew Garrido; Nicole Camacho; Tracy Camacho and Isaac Taitano.
By Manny Crisostomo
“Manaotao Sanlagu, CHamorus from the Marianas,” a PDN weekly feature, is taking a hiatus this month as I head to the islands.
Sadly, not Guam, but Hawai’i — and specifically Oahu for the exhibition of my photos from the 2016 Festival of the Pacific Arts and Culture opening at the East-West Center gallery on the campus of the University of Hawai’i and an artist residency sponsored by the EWC and Pacific Islands Development Program.
It’s also an opportunity to seek out, photograph and interview CHamorus living in Hawai’i as part of the “Manaotao Sanlagu” documentary.
Speaking of opportunities, I have been invited to a number of CHamoru gatherings and events across the U.S. this summer and beyond.
This June I’ll be leaving my golf clubs at home and bringing my cameras, lights and portable studio to Seattle, for the Hafa Adai Golf Classic.
It’s still a few months off, but the classic already has over 184 golfers signed up, according to organizer Ryan Blas.
“We are hoping to get 200, and the course can host up to 288 golfers,” Blas said. “I would say over 85 percent or more are CHamorus coming from in-state, California, Las Vegas and even from Germany and Korea.”
In July, my trek continues to Virginia and the Washington, D.C., area where CHamorus will be celebrating the 78th anniversary of the Liberation of Guam.
“Our Liberation activities this year will be a wreath-laying ceremony at the World War II Memorial Guam Marker on July 14th and the Liberation fiesta will be two days later at Fort Hunt Park,” according to Bernard Aguon, Liberation chair and president of the Guam Society of America.
The last in-person Liberation event in the area was in 2019 Aguon said.
“It was the largest attended Liberation fiesta in recent years, registering approximately 1400 Chamorus and friends in what we commonly call the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) or NCR (National Capital Region) area.”
In August, it is on to Big Sky Country for a Multi-Cultural Fair being organized by Joann Gogo, who is gathering CHamorus from nearby Malmstrom Air Force Base and across Montana together to bring a bit of the culture to Great Falls.
In September, it’s only an eight-hour drive from the Bay Area to San Diego for the return of an in-person celebration of Indigenous People of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia during the Pacific Islander Festival, better known as PIFA.
Sprinkled in between, Chenchule organizers Anthony Camacho and Joe Danzy and the Hafa Fiesta brand creators Marvin Matanane and his partners AJ and Tomas O’Mallan have weekend events planned in Sacramento, San Francisco and Southern California throughout the summer and fall.
And of course I am totally in for invites of smaller CHamoru gatherings, family reunions, fandangos, birthday parties and even backyard barbecues.
I am so excited to be heading to all these events and thrilled that this ongoing documentary has gotten rave reviews both on Guam and stateside. But I could use more help and support.
This started out as a personal passion project and I am grateful for the Pacific Daily News and its support in providing editing resources, a valuable platform, and a local and online audience. They give me a modest stipend while I continue to search out grants and additional sponsorships and partnerships to fund the documentary.
Jeremy and Jay Castro at Brand Marinade and Fina’denne’ are terrific sponsors, helping with logistics and staffing at events and setting up the website sanlagu.com, where we post all the stories, photos and videos.
In addition, sanlagu.com has merchandise — apparel, posters and soon signed art prints — for purchase to support the documentary.
I plan to ramp up coverage and would need more support, so please reach out to me at sanlagu.com with future events, names of CHamorus doing amazing things, grants, moneymaking ideas, extra airline miles and hotel points, and chenchule.
Being the respectful CHamoru my father and mother raised me to be, I’ll find a way to reciprocate your generosity and be forever grateful for any support.
“Manaotao Sanlagu” is Manny Crisostomo’s ongoing visual documentary of CHamorus from the Marianas living overseas that is featured weekly in the PDN. If you or someone you know would like to be part of this documentary or wish to support this project, contact Crisostomo at sanlagu.com. The project is sponsored in part by Brand Marinade, a CHamoru-owned creative agency in the San Francisco Bay Area.
