Excursions into Inauthenticity: The Chamorros of Guam

Abstract

This paper attempts to comprehend the exodus from Guam through the eyes of the Chamorro people whether they reside in the island capital of Agana or in California. The paper looks at how Chamorro movers and stayers view each other and what the meaning of this steady stream of movement is for Guams future. In 1978 the federation of Guamanian Associations of America estimated that 55000 Chamorros were living in California. This startling figure although perhaps not accurate indicated that more Chamorros lived in California than on Guam itself. For decades the military has been the major means of leaving Guam. When the US Congress passed the Organic Act in 1950 and the Chamorros became US citizens inductions of young Chamorro men into the armed services increased dramatically. The military remains the most viable option for those not continuing on to the university or having no island connections to get a good job. The military connection provided not only a convenient exit from Guam but also established the major US points of entry since Chamorros in California concentrated in communities adjoining major naval facilities. For Chamorros who continue to live on Guam the cumulative effects of Chamorro out-migration can only be disheartening. On the personal level it can be heart rending as families split in half; in broader terms it calls into question the future existence of the Chamorro people. Chamorros are already a minority in their homeland which leads to the fear that Guam will become another Hawaii. The island media frequently describe the migrant stream as a safety valve. If it continues to serve this function the internal difficulties of ethnic conflict economic dislocation and social change may never be confronted and boarding the Boeing 747 or DC-10 becomes the simplest and most painless solution.