Figure 1. 2020 U.S. census questionnaire
For the first time in Guam and Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands (CNMI) history, the 2020 Census produced the first questionnaire that does not distort the ethnicity/race of the “Chamorro” people. In order to get a better understanding to certain components of this issue, one must learn the political and colonial history of the partition of the Mariana Islands, Guam from its sister islands. Below is a short historical summary that has affected the true population count of the CHamoru people under the U.S.
Guam was ceded by Spain and became a colony of the U.S. in 1898. As for the rest of the Mariana Islands, Spain sold them to Germany after the Spanish-American war in 1898, but they did not become a U.S. colony until after World War II against Japan. After all the war and turmoil between colonial empires, the first U.S. decennial population of Guam did not occur until 1920, while the CNMI was not included until 1970.
From 1920 – 1960, the U.S. census questionnaires were completed by census enumerators, which left them with the power of the pen in recording how names and family information were recorded. Some included spelling variations among other transcription errors. But in 1970, the U.S. census questionnaires became self-enumerated, which gave the power of the pen back to the owners of information. There was also a blank space to write-in “Chamorro,” as a “Color or Race.”
Come 1980, the U.S. census questionnaire for Guam as an unincorporated territory of the U.S., and for the first time, included the term “Guamanian” as a race. This term reinforced a negative stigma from World War II and exacerbated the partition of the CHamoru people between Guam and the CNMI. On the other hand, the census questionnaire used for the rest of the Mariana Islands, at the time a U.S. Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, was more specific and one could write-in “Chamorro.”
Figure 2. 1980 ethnic census option for Chamorro people residing on Guam or U.S.
Figure 3. 1980 ethnic census option for Chamorro people residing in Northern Mariana Islands or other Trust Territories
In the 1990 census questionnaire “Asian or Pacific Islander (API)” was introduced and again included “Guamanian” as an option and added “Other API” with a space to write-in a race. However in the 2000 and 2010 census, enter the “Guamanian or Chamorro,” option. Sigh…
So when the opportunity comes, please ensure that you and your family are among those enumerated in the 2020 census. One important reason to do so is that the data will be analyzed and typically used for decision making purposes. Therefore, depending on the nature and what type of decision may need to be made, will be contingent and dependent on the data collected to date. If one does not have the appropriate data, s/he might not be able to make a more suitable decision that can impact the lives of many. In particular, a faulty decision could result in an adverse impact/unintended consequence of loss of benefits, programmatic or funding opportunities, and the list can go on.
And finally, we must never forget that we are an ethnically and culturally unique people in this world. This is all a part of the Chamorro Roots Genealogy Project.
CHamoru-ham maseha månu gaige ham! [We are CHamoru, no matter where we may be!]
See also: Is "Guamanian" an Ethnic Race?
