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Database Update 1 Feb 2015

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Written by: Bernard Punzalan

Published: 31 January 2015

The database has been updated and has grown from 327,683 to 328,755 names!

Brief Recollections of Nånan Jai: Rosa Salas Leon Guerrero Cruz

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Written by: Bernard Punzalan

Published: 28 January 2015

As I continue to receive more documents from collaborators of the Chamorro Roots Genealogy Project, I was elated (thank you Lisa) that one of the documents contained my maternal grandmother's 1990 funeral announcement. It was certainly a better copy than of the one I had on file. Just looking at her picture and the names on her announcement brought back some memories and thoughts of her.

The former Rosa Salas Leon Guerrero was also known to family members as Nan Ocha or Tan Ocha. Her parents were the former Carmen de Salas and Nicolas Tello de Leon Guerrero (Manggåfan Matias). Nåna had five other siblings: two brothers (Juan and Jose) and three sisters (Maria, Trinidad, and Angelina). I had only met one of Nåna's siblings: Nan Lia (Maria) married to Manuel Duenas Techaira. All the others had passed away before or during the war.

We called our grandmother, "Nåna." But Nåna means mother and Nåna Biha or Guela means grandmother. Perhaps this was the beginning of a cultural shift in language from my generation; the tail end of the baby boom era? As children we learn many things through mimicking, so I'm certain that we mimicked our Aunts and Uncles to call her Nåna. I am curious to hear other thoughts on this.

I remember Nåna as a very resilient woman: mentally and physically. Had all her children survived, there would have been nineteen of them. But only nine of them survived beyond childhood. Yes, there were a few that were actually miscarriages. But what if all of them survived? There would have been two generations of siblings; the latter nine being the second generation.

Tåtan Jai (Yai)? He was a U.S. Navy civil servant and after the war I was told he made many trips to Sa’ipan to deliver payroll. Out of all of us grandchildren, my oldest cousin John was the only to ever meet Tåta. But even at that, John did not have a chance to get to know him because he was only an infant when Tåta passed away in 1952.

My very first memories of Nåna go back to when I was about five years old. My dad, who was in the Air Force, received his orders for Vietnam and decided to take us back to Guam until he completed his tour in Vietnam. So we stayed at Nåna’s house. Each time we left Guam and returned, we were back at Nåna’s house.

Although all of Nåna’s siblings preceded her in death, her siblings’ children quite often visited and checked in on Nåna.

I have always felt and experienced the strong bond and connection with the maternal side of my family. I am sure it flows from our ancient matrilineal society. Our family’s cultural spirit emanates from Nåna, her Nåna and those before them. God bless them all.

The Surge: Chamorro Diaspora in the US

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Written by: Bernard Punzalan

Published: 23 January 2015

    Since the 1920 Census, when Guam was officially included in the census of the U.S., the Census Bureau has not sufficiently categorized the Chamorro population to consistently compare population trends over the years. (Punzalan, 2013)

    While running queries on the Census Bureau’s website, there were at least three race/ethnicity datasets that could be tied directly to the Chamorro population:

• Guamanian or Chamorro
• Mariana Islander
• Saipanese

    The latter two datasets were likely Census “write-ins,” but well below one percent of the total sampled 2010 census data. In addition, they were not  counted in the Bureau’s 2012 Chamorro profile report.

    During the 2000 Census, there were approximately 92,611 Chamorro people that were recorded in the U.S. mainland. (Secretariat of the Pacific, undated)

    In 2010, approximately 147,798 Chamorro were residing in the U.S. That’s nearly a whopping 60% increase of Chamorro people residing in the mainland U.S. between census periods!

Chamorro Population in the U.S.

References

Secretariat of the Pacific Community. Table POP08. Chamorros in the United States: 2000. Retrieved January 21, 2015 from: http://www.spc.int/prism/country/gu/stats/census/chamorros_in_us.htm

Guam State Data Center. 2012. Profile of the Chamorros in the United States. Government of Guam, Bureau of Statistics and Plans.

Bernard Punzalan. 2013. Is “Guamanian” an Ethnic Race? Chamorro Roots Genealogy Project. Retrieved from https://www.chamorroroots.com/x4/index.php/land-records-online/34-taotao-tano/history/175-is-qguamanianq-an-ethnic-race

U.S. Census Bureau. 2010 Census. Retrieved January 21, 2015 from: http://factfinder.census.gov

1963-1964 All District Basketball League

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Written by: Bernard Punzalan

Published: 21 January 2015

At the beginning season of the 1963-1964 All District Basketball League, the Merizo Angels (previously named “Oyeas”) were considered to be one of the most formidable teams to beat.

The Merizo Angels consisted of:

• Frank Roberto, Center and Team Captain
• Jesus Cruz
• Joe Barcinas
• Frank Meno
• Jesus Lujan
• Joseph Cruz

Other impressionable teams, former and current players with basketball talent were:

Sinajana Rockers

• Pete Duenas (former teammate, became a graduate of the Navy Apprentice School and was in the U.S.)
• John Cruz
• Felix Rivera
• Ignacio Perez
• John M. Cruz (former teammate)
• Benny Evangelista
• Ben Lizama
• Frank Toves

Umatac Mounties

• Ray Topasna
• Jesus Sanchez
• Joe Aguon
• Frank Isezaki
• Ralph Quinata (also a Babe Ruth league baseball player)

Tamuning

• Manuel Salas
• John Aguon
• Frank McMurray
• Jackson McMurray

Agat Trotters

• John Aguigui
• Jesus Nauta
• Frank Quintanilla
• Ben Salas
• Andy Sablan (also a Babe Ruth league baseball player)
• Tony Chargualaf (former teammate joined the Army)

Agana City Slickers

No current team members named; however, the team lost its former members:

•  Jesus Ulloa (considered one of the best all-around players in the league)
• Tony Anderson (an authentic rebounder)
• Joe Roberto (younger brother of Merizo’s Center, Frank Roberto)

Source:

____. 1964. Merizo Angels: Who’ll Clip Their Wings, January, Volume II, No. 1. Pacific Profile. Agana. Guam